Delicious Torment
by Rogue Ronin
Summary: (resubmitted) Two mysterious strangers start causing trouble at the center, by asking the people in the surrounding neighborhoods for 'protection money.' But is that their main objective, or is that just a front for something else entirely? Completed
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Hey I'm back, yea right like you could get rid of me that easily. Give me a break, lol. Ok here it goes, I don't own the characters or rights to the Ronin Warriors. There we go, it's been said. The only characters that are mine are Kaye and Lightning. Email me @ cokeacola_75@hotmail.com.  
  
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Delicious Torment  
  
Ch 1  
  
"Hey, whoa! Nice counter move," Kento said as he was getting up from the floor.   
  
"Thanks Kento, but I can't take all of the credit," a young teenage boy replied with as grin as he held out his hand towards him.  
  
"Where did you learn that, or should I ask who did you learn that counter move from?" Kento asked curiously.  
  
The person that Kento was sparring grinned at his compliment, and then took a quick glance over to the sidelines where the others were watching. "I should have known." Kento said as he smirked.  
  
"What? Why are you looking at me for? I didn't teach him that?" Kaye asked as they were approaching her.  
  
"Yea, sure you didn't." Kento replied as he laid his arm across her shoulders.  
  
"I didn't." Kaye said as she looked at him.  
  
"Uh huh, tell me another one, Kaye," Kento replied as he raised an eyebrow at her. "If you didn't teach him that counter move, then who did?"  
  
"Ah that would have been me, actually." Cye replied with a small smile.  
  
"Cye?" Kento said in amazement as he blinked his eyes in shock.   
  
"Yea, it was uncle Cye," the young teen replied as he nodded. The other guys laughed from the look on Kento's face. Actually, Cye and the other guys are not his real uncles, but he just calls them that because they've treated him like family ever since he came to the center where Kaye works.   
  
"Ok Sian, I think that Kento has had enough humiliation for one day. Why don't you help teach the other kids, while we take care of business around here." Rowen said with a laugh.  
  
"Sure thing uncle Rowen." Sian replied with a grin as he started to walk towards the other kids.  
  
"Hey Sian, later on I want a rematch, and don't think that I'll go easy on you either." Kento called to him.  
  
Sian looked back and grinned at Kento, "whatever you say 'dad.'"  
  
Kento grinned backs at the inside joke, and then joined up with the others at Kaye's office.   
  
"Look who decided to join us?" Sage said sarcastically.  
  
"Funny Sage, keep it up and you'll be the next one eating the floor." Kento replied with a smirk.  
  
Kaye smiled some and then looked over the large pile of bills that were lying on her desk. She sighed, "Kaye?" Ryo asked as he caught her sigh.  
  
The others looked over at her; she looked up and gave a small smile. "Huh, oh sorry Ryo." Kaye replied.  
  
"Hey, what's wrong?" Kento asked as he looked at her in concern.  
  
"It's nothing, it's just that the center has all of these bills, and with money being tight as it is. There's a chance that the center could close. I won't let that happen, if it does, then these kids won't have anywhere to go." Kaye replied as she looked back down again at the large pile of bills.  
  
"How long has this been going on?" Sage asked curiously.  
  
Before Kaye could answer him, the doors flew open and a group of very rough looking people walked on in. Everyone stopped what they were doing, and watched them make their way to Kaye's office. "Oh great, they're back," Kaye, said as she stood up from her desk and crossed her arms. "Hey, I thought that I told you to never come back here."  
  
"Now, now Kaye, is that any way to welcome us?" a man with a very scratchy voice asked.  
  
"Who are you?" Kento demanded as he and the others stood up.  
  
"You must be Mr. Faun," the leader of the group said as he looked Kento over.  
  
"How did you know that?" Ryo asked as he was trying to keep his temper in check.  
  
"That's not important at the moment. As a matter of fact, we know all of you, Mr. Sanada. The one with the blue hair is Mr. Hashiba, the blonde is Mr. Date, and the one with the light brown hair is Mr. Mouri." the leader replied as he looked at each of them. "I also understand that congratulations are in order Kaye, for your marriage to Mr. Faun here."  
  
"I suggest that you all leave, now." Kaye replied coldly.  
  
"You heard the lady." Kento said as he and the others glared at them.  
  
"You can either leave on your own, or you can be escorted out, the choice is yours." Ryo warned.   
  
The leader looked at each one, and he knew that they meant business. He also knew that he and his men were going to have one heck of a fight on their hands. Unfortunately, that's not what he wanted this early in the game. "Very well, we'll leave on our own. But don't forget, we'll be back." the leader replied as they finally left.  
  
"Is everyone ok in here?" Sian asked in concern as he ran into Kaye's office.  
  
"Yea Sian, thanks. Now, would you please go back to the kids and continue their lessons?" Kaye replied as she ushered Sian back out.  
  
"Ok, but only if you're sure 'mom.'" Sian said with a teasing smirk.  
  
"I'm sure, now go before I make ya be on kitchen duty." Kaye replied with that determined look in her eyes. Sian learned about that look of hers when he first came to the center. He knew that when she got that look that she made up her mind and no one could talk her out of anything.   
  
"Kaye, who were those guys?" Sage asked as she kept her gaze towards Sian and the other kids.  
  
"They're a gang called the Illusionists. The leader's name is Jakobe, and the shorter one is named Dante. They go around to places and offer 'protection' to people in different neighborhoods. They tell them that if they don't pay, or go by their so called rules, then they won't be responsible for the 'accidents' that might happen." Kaye replied as she leaned against the doorframe.   
  
"What do you mean by, accidents?" Cye asked in concern.  
  
"Anything from people being hurt, to places being blown up. They don't care who gets hurt just as long as they get what they want." Kaye replied quietly.   
  
"I'm still wondering how they knew about us in the first place." Rowen mused as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.  
  
"You give a good point there, Rowen," Sage said as he sat back down. "Kaye, how long has it been since they've set up their 'business'?"  
  
"I would have to say, almost a month." Kaye replied as she began to frown.  
  
"Kaye, have they? Have they, threatened you or the kids?" Kento asked in concern as he went over to her, and held onto her from behind. Kaye gave a small sigh; Kento could tell that she was trying not to shudder from the memory of their last visit. "Kaye?"  
  
"The last time that they were here, they tore the place apart. Tables and chairs were thrown everywhere; glass was all over the floor. Luckily, no one was hurt, but they said that next time something worse could happen," Kaye replied quietly. "Why couldn't it have been Talpa or some other power crazed maniac, trying to take over the world? Why is it them, why?"  
  
The other Ronins looked around at each other, they didn't know how to answer her question. Yea, she did have a point, dealing with Talpa and others like him was one thing, but trying to figure out how to deal with gangs was something else entirely. "Kaye, could you come out here? We need some help with this," a kid yelled to her from the other end of the room.  
  
"Be right there," Kaye called back. "I gotta go, we'll talk later ok." Kaye turned around and gave a quick kiss on Kento's cheek, and then went over to help out the kids that were on the other end of the room.   
  
"Guys, we have to do something about this." Kento said as he watched her.  
  
"We know Kento, and we will. But first things first, we need to figure out how the center is going to pull in enough money by a couple of months." Rowen replied as Kento turned around and faced them.  
  
Sian noticed that Kaye was about to pass him. Just as he was going to say something, he noticed that she looked like something was on her mind, and it wasn't good. Sian frowned, he remembered one other time that she had that look on her face, and he knew that this was definitely serious. "I think that it's time for the two of us to have a talk." Sian thought.  
  
"Sian, hey Sian, what's the deal? Are you going to teach us any more today, or are we done?" one of the students asked as she was pulling on his arm.  
  
"Huh, oh ah yea, sorry. We're done for today. Class is dismissed." Sian announced to the other kids. With a small smile, Sian watched the kids scatter from the training area, and ran towards the different parts of the center. He then looked over to where Kaye was helping a couple of kids finish up a project. She was telling them to go and was up, because it was almost time for dinner. Sian gave a small chuckle, he knew how hard it was sometimes to get the kids to listen, especially if they were major interested in a project that his 'uncles' bring with them every once in a while.   
  
"You know, I thought that uncle Rowen would of learned to never bring that astronomy set with him. Especially since what happened the last time." Sian said with a small smile. Last time that Rowen brought the astronomy set, they had a very hard time making the kids go to bed when they were suppose to. Because they wanted to stay up and look at the different stars and constellations.  
  
"You know Rowen, always wanting to get others interested into star gazing." Kaye replied with a small smile.  
  
"Yea, um Kaye? When you were coming over here, I noticed that you seem to be preoccupied with something. Is everything ok? You know that you can tell me." Sian asked as he looked towards her in concern. Kaye looked at his face; she could see that he knew that something was definitely wrong. There was no way that she or anyone else could ever hide anything from him.   
  
"It's nothing that you have to be concerned about, Sian." Kaye replied as she was trying to reassure him.  
  
"Sorry, but I'm not buying it." Sian replied with a stubborn look of his own.  
  
"Sian..." Kaye started to say.  
  
"Look, whatever is going on, I have the right to know. I'm not a little kid any more. I can help you." Sian replied.  
  
"Yea I can see that, Sian, but..." Kaye tried to explain.  
  
"But nothing Kaye, when I first came to the center, you told me that any time that I need someone to talk to, or if I needed help, all I had to do was ask." Sian said as he was trying to stay calm.  
  
Kaye took a look around before she continued, "ok, you wanna know how you can help, then fine. But I don't want the other kids to know, you got me," Kaye asked as Sian showed that he understood by nodding his head. "All right then, besides the so called 'visit' that we had today, the center...the center." Kaye said as she was fighting the tears that were threatening to fall.  
  
"What about the center?" Sian asked in concern as he laid both of his hands on top of her shoulders.  
  
"The center might have to close." Kaye replied sadly.  
  
"What! Why, when?" Sian asked in surprise.  
  
"If we don't get enough money soon, then the center will close down in a couple of months." Kaye replied as she looked into his eyes.  
  
Sian pulled Kaye into his embrace, "don't worry 'mom,' everything will work out. I promise." Sian said as hugged her tighter.  
  
"Sian." Kaye whispered as she stayed in his embrace. While this was going on, the Ronins were watching them.  
  
"Looks like she told him." Cye said as he sat back down.  
  
"Yea, so now what? We know that Sian is going to want to help, right?" Kento asked as he leaned back onto the desk.  
  
"Knowing that kid, yea." Sage replied as he crossed his arms.  
  
"Hey, don't let him hear you say that he's a kid, remember last time that someone called him that?" Rowen asked with a chuckle. The others grinned in remembrance, because the last time that someone called Sian a kid, that person went head first through a window.  
  
As they were talking, they didn't hear Kaye and Sian approach her office. "Hey, are you guys ready to eat, or are you going to let the kids eat all of the food?" Sian asked with a smirk.  
  
"What! No way! Hey you kids, don't you even think of eating all of that food! Save some for me!" Kento called over as he ran to the kitchen. The others laughed as they watched Kento make a break for it.   
  
"We better get over there, because I have a feeling that if we don't, there won't be any food left for us." Sian said with a laugh as they ran over to the kitchen.  
  
Elsewhere...  
  
"Jakobe, are you sure that it was wise to put in an appearance, especially since the Ronins were there?" Dante asked as he swished his champagne before taking a drink.  
  
"You worry too much, Dante. Actually, I'm surprised by something else." Jakobe replied as he stroked at his shirt, while wiping the dust off.  
  
"Oh, and what's that?" Dante asked as he lifted an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Sian." Jakobe replied.  
  
"What about Sian?" Dante asked.  
  
"I'm trying to figure out why he doesn't remember anything from before?" Jakobe mused.  
  
"Are you telling me that you think that he has amnesia?" Dante asked back.  
  
"It's possible," Jakobe replied. "I don't see any other explanation, do you?"  
  
"No, I suppose not. Then what do we plan to do about this? Are we still going with what we originally planned?" Dante asked curiously. 


	2. ch 2

Delicious Torment  
  
Ch 2  
  
"Sian, are you sure that you?" Kaye asked as they stood outside.  
  
"Kaye, come on everything is going to be fine. Why don't you just go home, and we'll see you in the morning, ok." Sian replied with a small laugh.  
  
"Ok, ok you win. I'll go home, but if anything comes up." Kaye said sternly.  
  
"I'll make sure to call you. Ok, I've got it." Sian replied with a grin.   
  
"Are you two done yet? I would like to get home this century." Sage asked sarcastically.   
  
"Yea, ok Sage, see ya tomorrow, Sian." Kaye said as she waved goodbye while they took off for home. Sian watched them drive off, and then turned around and went inside.   
  
On the nearby roof top, "what do you say, Jakobe? Do we go inside?" Dante asked curiously as they watched from above.  
  
"Not quite yet. We'll wait a few hours, and then..." Jakobe replied with an evil grin.  
  
A few hours later, for some reason, Sian was tossing and turning from the constant nightmares that he's been having ever since he came upon the center. Suddenly, Sian sat straight up; he quickly covered his face with his hands, trying to make the images go away. His breathing was quick and shallow. He then slowly pulled away his hands from his face, staring at them.   
  
"Evening Sian, it looks like you've been having those nightmares again." a voice said from the dark corner near the open window.  
  
"You! What are you doing here?" Sian asked angrily.   
  
"Take it easy, Sian. Unless you want us to wake the others, then I would suggest that you come with us." Jakobe replied as he motioned over to Dante.  
  
"No, there's no need. We can talk here." Sian said as he glared at the two.  
  
"I would prefer the roof." Jakobe replied as he opened the window further. Sian looked between Dante and Jakobe while holding the window.   
  
"Fine, let's go, but after we talk, you two leave and never come back." Sian said as he followed them to the roof.   
  
"Sian, what do you see when you're having your nightmares?" Dante asked curiously.  
  
"What's it to you, what I've been seeing? A nightmare is nothing but a nightmare, and that's it." Sian replied hotly.  
  
"Ok, let me ask you another question. What do you remember when you've arrived here at the center?" Jakobe asked as a cruel smile came across his face.  
  
"What's with the questions? What are you trying to get at, what do you want from me?" Sian asked as he was starting to get annoyed by the two.   
  
"We want you to remember." Dante taunted.  
  
"Remember, remember what? Ok that's it, I've had enough, if you two don't mind this session is over as of right now." Sian replied as he got into a defensive position in case they tried anything.  
  
"I'm sorry Sian, but this session as you call it, is far from over. But you are right; I do think that it's time for us to leave. Before we do, I should tell you that you remind me so much like your parents. You look so much like your father, physically, and you have your mother's eyes, those beautiful blue-gray eyes. I'm surprised that they haven't noticed it yet." Jakobe taunted with a cruel smile.  
  
"How dare you say that? I'm nothing like them! I could never be, no matter how hard I try!" Sian replied angrily.  
  
"Oh that's right, you're all hard core, aren't you. Nothing can phase you, can it," Dante asked coldly. "But what about this? Will this faze you?"  
  
Dante pulled out a round silver locket that had an engraved picture on the outside of it outlined in orange. Dante threw it at Sian; he caught it and glanced between the locket that he now holds and Dante. "Where did you get this?" Sian asked angrily.  
  
"You've left it behind when you've fled from us the first time, Sian." Jakobe replied as he gave an evil laugh.   
  
"I think that it's time that the two of you should leave...now!" Sian said as his eyes narrowed into angry slits.  
  
"Yes, I do believe that we've over stayed our welcome. We'll leave you now, but don't forget your mission, Sian. Because if you do, then we'll take it over for you." Dante replied as they both disappeared into the night. Sian looked around, but he couldn't find any trace of either of them. Then Sian took one final look around, and went inside. When Sian finally got inside, he shut the window and then stared at the locket a bit longer and then put it around his neck, and finally went back to sleep.  
  
"Mom, dad, I'm sorry. Please forgive me." Sian whispered as he finally let sleep claim him.  
  
The next morning, "hey sweet angel, it's time to wake up." Kaye said as she gently woke him up. Sian slowly opened his eyes, and smiled when he saw Kaye looking over him. He remembered the first time that she called him that. It was when he first came to the center. He had many cuts all over his body, blood oozing from his wounds. His vision blurry, he collapsed in the entrance. When he awoke the next thing Sian knew, Kaye was cleaning his wounds, and he asked her why she called him sweet angel. She replied with the reason that he looked like an angel when he was sleeping, so basically the name stuck.   
  
"Hey." Sian replied as he sat up from his bed.  
  
"You had me worried for a minute." Kaye said with a warm smile.  
  
"I did? Why?" Sian asked in confusion.  
  
"Because, you're usually up before we get here, but when we asked the kids if you were up yet, they said that you were still sleeping. So then naturally, I came up here and found that you're still asleep." Kaye replied.  
  
"As you can see, I'm just fine." Sian said with a smile as he got up and walked over to his dresser.  
  
"Yea, I guess so. Hey, hurry up and get changed." Kaye said with a gleam of mischief in her eyes.  
  
"Oh? Why, what's with the rush?" Sian asked as he looked at her curiously.  
  
"You'll see." Kaye replied as she headed back downstairs. Sian stared after her in confusion, but he shook his head and hurried up in changing, and then started his way downstairs.  
  
"He's sure taking his sweet time getting down here." Kento said as he was starting to get a little annoyed.  
  
"Come on Kento, cut him some slack ok. He just got up." Cye replied with a smirk.  
  
"Yea, yea whatever Cye." Kento said as they continued to wait for him.   
  
Finally, Sian entered the main room, "happy birthday, Sian!" everybody yelled as confetti fell from the ceiling.   
  
"What?!" Sian asked as he blinked in confusion.  
  
"Since we didn't know exactly when your birthday was, we thought that today would be as good of a day as any. So, happy birthday, Sian." Rowen replied as he threw him a set of keys. Sian caught the keys, and then looked at all of them in confusion.  
  
"What are these for?" Sian asked as he was looking over the keys.  
  
"Why don't you take a look in the parking lot and see for yourself." Ryo replied with a huge grin.  
  
"No way, you guys didn't." Sian said in awe, as he was looking directly at a car that he never seen in the center's parking lot before.  
  
"Yea, it's all yours, Sian. Granted it's nothing fancy, but me and the guys fixed it up the best we could," Kento said as he beamed. "Go ahead, why don't you take it out for a spin, and see how it drives."  
  
"For real? You have got to be kidding me. You're actually going to trust me to drive? Solo?" Sian asked as he was looking over the car.  
  
"Sure, we know that we can trust you. So go ahead, but don't be gone for very long ok." Sage replied with a smirk.   
  
"Thanks, all of you! This is the best," Sian said excitedly as he started to pull out of the parking lot. "Ok, I won't be gone long."  
  
"Alright, come on you guys, we have a long day ahead of us, so let's get to work." Kaye said as she started inside.  
  
"Aw Kaye, come on. I think that we should wait for Sian to come back." Kento pleaded.  
  
"Kento, I'm sure that Sian will be back shortly. Besides, there's food inside that's waiting to be eaten." Kaye replied with a smile.  
  
"Food! Get out of my way!" Kento warned as he ran inside towards the kitchen where the kids were almost done with their breakfast.  
  
"Nice distraction there, now why didn't I think of that?" Sage asked sarcastically as they were entering the center.  
  
"Maybe you would of if you..." Kaye trailed off as Sage gave her a look that told her not to go there. So she decided to let it drop and walk to her office while the others headed for the kitchen.  
  
"Huh? Oh no, not again." Cye said as they entered the kitchen as the kids were leaving.   
  
"Cye, what do you mean," Rowen asked as he looked at Cye curiously, then Rowen caught onto what he was talking about. "You know, I really wish that she would stop doing that."   
  
"Doing what, Rowen?" Kento asked as he quickly swallowed.  
  
"Kaye's in her office, she's skipping breakfast again." Rowen replied as he motioned over to her office.   
  
"Don't worry Rowen, I've got it covered," Kento said as he took some food from the kitchen and brought it to her office.   
  
"Hey busy lady, got time to eat?"  
  
Kaye looked up from her desk and saw Kento standing in the doorway, holding some food for her. "Ok Kento, hey, don't give me that look. I know that I should eat, but there's just too much that needs to be done." Kaye replied as he took a chair and set it next to her.  
  
"That may be, but you're not going to do anyone any good if you starve yourself, right." Kento said with a smirk as he put the food down in front of her.  
  
"Ok Kento, I got your point, I'll eat." Kaye replied as she laughed.   
  
Meanwhile on the streets of Toyama, Sian drove to an isolated spot that Kaye and the Ronins took him to when he first started his training with them. "There has to be a way to save the center, there just has to be. It can't shut down." Sian thought as he was trying to figure out a way to save it. Just then, a sudden wind blew. A piece of paper came out of nowhere, and then Sian grabbed for it. The paper was an advertisement for some kind of martial arts tournament that is going to be held in Toyama in a few weeks. A smile suddenly came upon his face, as he realized that this would be the way that he found to save the center. So Sian started his car and drove back to the center.   
  
"Looks like the plan is in motion." Dante said as they watched from a nearby roof.  
  
"Yes, everything will soon fall into place. So all we have to do is sit back and wait. Sian will complete his mission, and then everything will be changed for the better." Jakobe replied with an evil smile.  
  
"But Jakobe, what if Sian doesn't complete his mission? What if he realizes..?" Dante asked as he stole a glance towards him.  
  
"Dante, such little faith you show in him. Sian will complete his mission, and if he does realize that what he did wasn't his true purpose, well then, we'll just have to handle it ourselves." Jakobe replied as they both disappeared.  
  
Back at the center, "Mrs. Faun, where's Sian? I thought that he was suppose to teach us today?" a little boy asked.  
  
"Don't worry about Sian, I'm sure that he'll be back soon. In the meantime, why don't I teach you some new techniques." Kaye replied with a small smile. The little boy's eyes lit up when she said that, and then he fell in line with the other kids.   
  
Just as class was about to start, Sian came bursting through the front doors of the center all excited. "Sian, whoa there, slow down. you know better than to rush in like that," Ryo scolded. "What's gotten you all excited anyway?"  
  
"Sorry uncle Ryo, but I found the answer to all of our problems." Sian replied with a huge grin on his face.  
  
"What do you have in your hands there, Sian?" Sage asked curiously.  
  
"It's like I said, it's the answer to all of our problems." Sian replied.  
  
"Let me see that," Kento said as he grabbed it out of his hands. Kento's eyes twinkled with excitement and then a huge grin appeared on his face. "Guys, I think that you should take a look at this."  
  
Rowen gave Kento a look of confusion as he grabbed the flyer from his hands. Then as he was reading it, he also had a huge grin appear on his face as well. "Sian, where did you find this?" Rowen asked as he passed the flyer around to the others.  
  
"Actually uncle Rowen, you could say that it found me." Sian replied with a grin.  
  
"You guys, you know what this means, don't you?" Cye asked as he smiled.  
  
"The center won't have to close after all. But, who's going to tell Kaye the news?" Sage asked as he looked around at them.   
  
"I'll tell her!" Sian volunteered as he took the flyer from Sage and ran over to where Kaye was teaching the kids. Kaye was so in tuned to her technique that she didn't see Sian coming. Sian ducked and rolled out of the way, and then stood up.   
  
"Sian, be more careful! I could of hurt you just now." Kaye scolded as she looked at him.  
  
"Sorry, but I wanted you to take a look at this." Sian replied as he produced the flyer in front of her.  
  
"What is this?" Kaye asked as she grabbed the flyer.  
  
"Would you just read it? You'll like it, trust me." Sian replied with a mischievous grin. Kaye looked at him suspiciously, and then started to read it. Her eyes started to get wider the further she read, she then looked up with a huge grin on her face.  
  
"Sian!" Kaye said excitedly as she gave him a huge hug. Sian kept his grip on her, and twirled her around in a circle and then set her back down.  
  
"It looks like she took that well, huh." Kento said with a grin on his face as he and the others walked over to them.  
  
"Well Kaye, what do you think? Are you up to it?" Rowen asked.  
  
"Mrs. Faun, what are they talking about?" a little girl asked curiously.  
  
Kaye turned around and faced the class, "what do you guys think of being in a martial arts tournament that's coming up in a few weeks?" Kaye asked them.  
  
"You mean it?" a little boy asked excitedly.  
  
"For real?" a little girl asked also in excitement.  
  
"Yes, for real." Kaye replied with a smile on her face.  
  
A chorus of yea came from all of the kids. Kaye turned back around and faced them, "well Rowen, there's your answer." Kaye said with a laugh.  
  
"Ok kids, you know what this means don't you? It means that you have to work harder than you have been. Do you think that you can handle it?" Ryo asked with a mischievous grin.  
  
"Just try us!" a little girl replied as she grinned back.  
  
"It says here that we're going to need a team name. Anyone have any ideas?" Kaye asked the kids. Different names were being yelled out, no one really agreed to one that is until someone yelled out one that caught their attention.  
  
"Ronin! Team Ronin!" a little boy yelled out.  
  
"Yea! Team Ronin!" the other kids cheered loudly.  
  
Kaye and the guys did a quick looks to each other, and then they started to laugh. "If they only knew." Kaye thought as she was laughing.  
  
"Ok, Team Ronin it is. Now that we have a team name, I guess that we should start training." Cye said as he and the others started to split the kids up into groups. Before Kaye went over to her group of kids, Sian stopped her.  
  
"Sian, what is it?" Kaye asked as she looked at him.  
  
"That technique you were doing before, I was wondering, would you, would you teach me it?" Sian asked as looked back at her.  
  
"I don't know, Sian." Kaye replied.  
  
"Aw 'mom,' come on, you know that I can learn any technique very quickly. It'll only take a day or two until I've gotten it down." Sian pleaded.  
  
"I know that, Sian, you're one of the most talented martial artists that I've seen in a very long time." Kaye replied.  
  
"Then why won't you teach me that technique," Sian asked. "It looked like you were about to teach those kids, so why not me?"  
  
"For your information, Sian. I wasn't going to teach them that particular technique, I was just demonstrating it." Kaye replied calmly.  
  
"Then if you won't teach me, I'm sure that the others will." Sian said.  
  
"Sorry Sian, but the others don't know how to do it either. So they won't be able to teach you it." Kaye replied.  
  
"But they know about it, right?" Sian asked. Kaye nodded her head telling him that they know. "Then why are you so hesitant about teaching it to me?" he asked.  
  
"I'm sorry, Sian. But I can't get into it right now." Kaye replied quietly as she walked over to her group. The other guys were listening on their conversation while the kids were stretching. They looked at each other, and they knew that Sian has to know why she won't teach him that particular technique.  
  
"I don't understand, why is she being so difficult about this? Why won't she teach it to me?" Sian asked to no one in particular.  
  
"Sian, after class, I think that we need to talk, ok." Cye said as he laid his hand onto his shoulder. Sian looked over at Cye with a slight frown, and then nodded. Cye gave a quick nod back, and then went back to his group. 


	3. ch 3

Delicious Torment  
  
Ch 3  
  
"Ok uncle Cye, now will you tell me why she won't teach me that technique?" Sian asked as he and the other Ronins were in Kaye's office.  
  
"Sian, the reason why Kaye won't teach anyone that particular technique, is well, it's forbidden." Cye replied as he looked at him.  
  
"Wait a minute, forbidden? Then how come she knows how do it, and no one else," Sian asked. "Also, why was she doing it in the first place if it's forbidden anyway?"  
  
"Those questions are kind of hard to answer, Sian. But for now you have to try and understand something. If Kaye teaches that particular technique, then she and whomever she taught it to would be challenged to a fight to the death." Ryo said as he looked over to him.  
  
"A fight to the death? Uncle Ryo, you can't be serious!" Sian replied in disbelief.  
  
"Ryo's very serious, the only reason she can demonstrate it, is because she altered it a bit so that way it wouldn't be easily detected." Sage said as he folded his arms across his chest.  
  
"Then why didn't she tell me about it? She trusts me, doesn't she?" Sian asked somewhat hurt.  
  
"Of course she trusts you, Sian. That's not the issue and you know it." Kento replied as he looked at him.  
  
"Yea, you're right, I guess," Sian sighed. "Then I suppose that I better go and talk with her, huh."  
  
"Now you're using your head, Sian." Rowen said with a smirk. Sian rolled his eyes, and then gave a small laugh before he went out to find Kaye.   
  
Outside...  
  
Kaye was looking towards the setting sun, "I wonder how hurt Sian will be when he finds out about why I can't teach him that technique?" Kaye wondered.  
  
"Mrs. Faun, are you ok?" a little girl asked as she came up from behind.  
  
"Cassie, you scared me." Kaye replied with a small smile as she sat down next to the little girl.  
  
"Sorry, but when I saw you out here, and you looked sad. So I came out here to see if you're ok." Cassie said with concern.  
  
"You're sweet, Cassie. Yea I'm fine. I just have a lot on my mind lately, that's all." Kaye replied.  
  
"You shouldn't keep things bottled up inside, if you do, you might just blow up." Cassie said with a smirk.  
  
"Why you little, you're throwing my own words back into my face, aren't you." Kaye asked as she messed up Cassie's hair.  
  
"Yep!" Cassie replied with a small laugh.  
  
"Thanks Cassie, I feel a lot better now." Kaye said with a smile.  
  
"Yea?" Cassie asked.  
  
"Yea, I do." Kaye replied as they hugged each other.  
  
"Aw, what a sweet picture. Doesn't it just tug at your heart strings Jakobe?" Dante asked as they showed up out of nowhere.   
  
"It would, but only if I had a heart to begin with." Jakobe replied with a smirk.  
  
"Cassie, get inside!" Kaye said sternly as she stayed between her and the two men.  
  
"But Mrs. Faun..." Cassie began to say.  
  
"Go!" Kaye replied as she pushed her towards the door. Cassie did a quick look back, and then ran to find someone that could help.  
  
"Why are you here? What do you want?" Kaye demanded as she shifted into a defensive position.  
  
"You know it would be a real shame if something happened to the center, the kids, or even you, if you know what I mean?" Jakobe asked with a dangerous smile.  
  
"I'm not going to give into your threats, Jakobe. I don't care what you try to do to me, but if you even try to lay a hand on any one of the kids, or this center, I'll make sure that you'll be sorry." Kaye replied angrily.  
  
"You definitely have spirit, I like that. I like that very much," Dante taunted with an evil glint in his eyes. "I'm not sure what it is, but people for some reason that have a high spirit taste very good to me."   
  
"You're sick!" Kaye replied as she glared at them.  
  
"So I am, I just love taking a fighter's spirit and devouring it. You know Jakobe, it's been so long since we've actually fought someone." Dante said as he glanced over at him.  
  
"You know, Dante, I think that you're right. I'm actually looking forward to a fight as well. I just hope that I'm not too rusty." Jakobe replied as they both got ready to fight.  
  
Inside...  
  
"Help, someone help!" Cassie yelled as she ran.  
  
"Cassie, whoa what's the matter? What's wrong?" Sian asked as he knelt down on one knee to her.  
  
"It's Mrs. Faun, she's in trouble, two men from yesterday showed up, and they..." Cassie started to explain as tears were starting to flow down.  
  
"It's going to be all right, Cassie. Don't worry, you did well, I'm going to go and help her. You stay in here ok." Sian replied as he took off towards the back.  
  
"AAHH!" Cye yelled as he grabbed for his arm.  
  
"Cye, what's wrong?" Kento asked in concern as the guys looked over to him.  
  
"I'm not sure, but I think that Kaye's in trouble." Cye replied as he got up and ran out of the office. The others followed Cye, and then they started to scan the building. They couldn't see any trace of Kaye anywhere. Then they saw Cassie crying, as some of the older kids tried to calm her down.   
  
The guys ran over to her, "Cassie, what happened?" Ryo asked as he was trying to get her to tell them.  
  
"In back, the two men from yesterday, Mrs. Faun told me to go inside, I think that she's fighting them." Cassie explained as she was trying to calm down.  
  
"Sian went to look for her," Rowen said in alarm, "Let's get going, they need our help!"  
  
Outside...  
  
"They're moving too fast. I can't get a fix on them." Kaye thought in frustration as she tried to follow their movements.  
  
"What's the matter, can't keep up?" Dante taunted as he quickly kicked towards Kaye's stomach.   
  
The impact of Dante's kick made Kaye double over as she fell.   
  
"OOF!" Cye grunted as he also fell to the ground holding onto his stomach.  
  
"Cye!" Kento said as he quickly slid over to him.  
  
"I'm ok, just hurry. Kaye is going to need some back up." Cye replied as Kento leaned him against the wall.  
  
"Kento, go with them. I'll stay here with Cye." Sage said. Kento nodded and then took off after Ryo and Rowen.  
  
Outside...  
  
"As much fun as this is, I think that it's time to put it to an end." Jakobe said as he was going to deliver a blow to the back of Kaye's head.   
  
"NO!" Sian yelled as he dove for her. The two rolled out of the way of Jakobe's blow just in the nick of time.  
  
"Sian?" Kaye asked as she winced.  
  
"The one and only," Sian replied with a smirk, but then he got serious. "Are you ok?"  
  
"Yea, thanks to you." Kaye replied as she gave him a small smile.  
  
"Sian, well done my boy. Well done, I'm impressed." Jakobe said while he and Dante stood their clapping.  
  
"You'll pay for hurting her!" Sian warned angrily.  
  
"OOh, the kid has guts." Dante taunted.  
  
"Don't call me that, I'm not a kid!" Sian replied as he glared at them.  
  
"Touchy, touchy the kid also has a short temper." Dante said as he gave a small laugh.  
  
"I'm warning you. Call me a kid one more time, and you'll be going head first through the nearest window." Sian replied as he got into a defensive position.  
  
  
  
Dante glanced over at Jakobe, Jakobe gave a quick nod, and then Dante looked back at Sian, "let's test that theory shall we...kid." Dante said with a smirk. That did it, Sian's temper hit the roof, and he charged towards Dante at full speed. Just as Dante was about to get out of the way, he was surprised on how fast Sian moved. Because the next thing Dante knew, he was flying through the air, and crashing through the nearest window head first.  
  
"Whoa, watch out!" Ryo warned as Dante smashed into the wall.   
  
"Ow, what hit me?" Dante asked in a daze.  
  
"Dude, I would have to say that it was the wall," Kento replied as they surrounded him. "Now, I'm only going to ask this once. Where's Kaye?"  
  
Before Dante could answer, "Sian! No!" Kaye yelled out as she tried to stop him from fighting Jakobe.  
  
"There's your answer, Kento," Rowen replied. "Let's go."  
  
When they finally got there, they saw that Sian was fighting head to head with Jakobe, while Kaye was using the railing to try and get up. "Kaye, are you all right?" Kento asked as he rushed over to her.  
  
"Kento?" Kaye said quietly as she winced from the pain.  
  
"Easy there, everything is going to be all right." Kento replied as he tried to reassure her.  
  
"Damn, reinforcements. I think that it's time to take our leave." Jakobe thought as he and Dante disappeared.  
  
"Sian, are you ok? What could you have possibly been thinking? You should have waited for us, why did you take them on like that?" Ryo scolded as he frowned at him.  
  
"What did you want me to do, just sit back and watch him kill her? Because that's what Jakobe was going to do. If I didn't dive for her, then she would have been dead." Sian shot back.  
  
Before Ryo or anyone else could speak, Cassie ran outside with Cye and Sage right behind her. "Mrs. Faun, you're ok." Cassie said as she tackled Kaye making her lose a little of her balance.   
  
"Oof, Cassie." Kaye replied with a small laugh as she looked down towards the child. Cassie looked up; she had tears running down her face. Kaye knelt down and picked her up, while she did that, she winced a little bit. Cassie saw the pain on Kaye's face, and then she got scared. When Kaye realized what was happening, she gave her a small smile showing the child that she was just fine.  
  
"Cassie, why don't you go ahead inside? We'll be in shortly, ok," Kaye said as she put the child down and ushered her to the door. Cassie took one final look back before she headed inside. "Go on."  
  
"Sian, would you please fill in the other kids of what happened. I'm sure that they want to know." Cye said as he saw the look that Kaye was giving him.  
  
"But uncle Cye." Sian started to say.  
  
"I wouldn't argue with Cye if I were you, Sian." Sage replied sternly. Sian sighed and then headed inside, leaving Kaye and the Ronins to talk.  
  
"Cye, how are you feeling, any better?" Kento asked in concern.  
  
"Yea, I'm feeling much better. I guess that the link that Kaye and I have is still there." Cye replied with a small smile.  
  
"I guess so, and for once, I'm glad that we still have it." Kaye replied as she returned a smile of her own.   
  
"Come on, let's get inside, it's starting to get cold, and besides I need to look you over, Kaye, just to make sure that everything is ok." Sage said as they started to go inside. After all of this time, she knew better than to argue with him, but then again, every once in a while, it was still fun.   
  
A few hours later when no one was paying attention. Sian decided to sneak outside to the roof. "If they don't show up soon, then I'm going back inside." Sian thought as he was waiting for them.  
  
"Sian, you were very impressive today." Jakobe said as he and Dante appeared.  
  
"What do you two think that you were trying to pull? I have everything under control," Sian replied hotly. "And what's with the idea of attacking Kaye like that? You've could of killed her!"  
  
"Yes we know that you do, but we just decided to make things a little more interesting," Dante said with a smirk. "Besides, we had to make it look believable, didn't we?"   
  
"Yea well, don't try anything like that again, ok!" Sian replied as he kept the two in sight.  
  
"And don't you forget why you're here in the first place!" Jakobe shot back angrily.  
  
"I remember, all right. So just get off my back!" Sian said angrily.   
  
"Gentlemen, gentlemen, we shouldn't be quarreling with each other. Especially, since we have a mission to complete. Now Sian, is everything in place?" Dante asked with an evil grin.  
  
"Of course." Sian replied as he rolled his eyes.  
  
"Good, now I would suggest that you go back inside, before anyone becomes suspicious, and comes out looking for you." Jakobe said.  
  
"Yea, ok." Sian replied as he went back inside.  
  
"Jakobe?" Dante asked as he stole a glance towards him.  
  
"Yes, Dante." Jakobe replied.  
  
"Do you think that we can trust him?" Dante asked.  
  
"I guess time will tell, but if worse comes to worse, then we'll have no other choice." Jakobe replied.  
  
"You mean that we can?" Dante asked as his eyes lit up.  
  
"Yes, if need to be we can eliminate him." Jakobe replied as they disappeared. 


	4. ch 4

Delicious Torment  
  
Ch 4  
  
The next morning...  
  
"Sian, hey Sian hold up will ya?" Kaye called out to him. Sian looked up from the steering wheel, and looked towards her.  
  
"Yea, 'mom,' what is it?" Sian asked.  
  
"Are you sure that you want to get the supplies," Kaye asked. "I can get them later."  
  
"No, it's fine, I've got it covered." Sian replied as he started up his car.   
  
"Alright, but hurry back, ok." Kaye said as she stepped back.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll be back soon." Sian called out as he pulled out of the parking lot. As she watched him drive down the road, she gave a small laugh and then headed back inside.  
  
"I take it that Sian took off for the supplies already?" Ryo asked as he saw that Kaye was walking towards them.  
  
"Yea, but I think the main reason that he wanted to go, was to get more driving time with his new car." Kaye replied with a smirk.  
  
"Hey, we weren't the only ones to agree for him to get a car." Kento teased.  
  
"I know, Kento, you don't have to remind me." Kaye replied with a small smile.  
  
In town...  
  
"It took you long enough, what kept you?" Jakobe asked as Sian pulled up to him.  
  
"Never mind what took me. I'm here, aren't I," Sian asked back. "Hey, where's Dante, I thought that he was suppose to be here?"  
  
"He's on an errand. Now, are you ready?" Jakobe asked as he stood up from the bench.  
  
"Yea, I'm ready, let's just get this over with." Sian replied as he got out of his car and faced him.   
  
"Ok, then let's do this. Oh, and one more thing." Jakobe warned as he raised and eyebrow at him.  
  
"What?" Sian asked in annoyance.  
  
"This might hurt a bit." Jakobe replied as he swung a two by four at the back of his head. Sian's eyes went wide as the board made direct contact, and then he fell to the ground unconscious. Jakobe then started to throw things, making them shatter when they hit the walls. He made the place such a mess, so it could look like a struggle took place. Then   
  
Jakobe inflicted some bruises and cuts on himself, so then his story will be more plausible for when the authorities came. A quick emergency phone call was placed to the local police station, and then they showed up. When the cops got there, Jakobe started to explain what happened, and then as Sian was slowly coming around, they took him away.  
  
Shortly, "hello?" Cye asked as he answered the phone.  
  
"Is there a Mrs. Faun that I could talk to?" someone replied on the other end.  
  
"Ah, sure just a minute," Cye said in confusion. "Kaye!"  
  
"Yea, what is it, Cye, I'm a little busy." Kaye called back.  
  
"Phones for you." Cye replied.  
  
"Could you please tell them to call back?" Kaye asked.  
  
"Don't think so, he sounds like it's important." Cye replied.  
  
Kaye sighed, "alright, I'm coming," Kaye said as she made her way to her office. "Thanks Cye. Hello, Yes, this is Mrs. Faun. What? Ok, I'll be down there in about five minutes."  
  
The concerned look on Kaye's face was all that Cye needed to know that something was definitely wrong. "Kaye, what is it?   
  
Who was on the phone?" Cye asked in concern.  
  
"Keys, where are my keys?" Kaye asked frantically as she searched for them.   
  
"Kaye?" Cye asked again, as he was trying to get her attention.  
  
"Sorry, Cye, but I can't talk right now. I have to get to the police station." Kaye replied as she was quickly making her way to the front door.  
  
"What's this that we heard about you going to the police station?" Sage asked as the others ran up to her.  
  
Kaye looked at them, "it's Sian, he's locked away." Kaye replied as she was trying to not let the other kids see that she was distraught.  
  
"What!?" all of them asked in shock at the same time.  
  
"Kaye, did the cop say why Sian's in lock up?" Rowen asked.   
  
Kaye shook her head, "no he wouldn't say why. He said that he'll tell me all about it when I get there." Kaye replied as she was searching her key ring for the car key. They guys could tell that she was really upset by this, because her hands were shaking.  
  
"We're coming with you. You're in no condition to drive." Cye said as he looked towards her in concern.  
  
"Fine, but we all can't go, someone has to stay here with the kids. They can't be left alone." Kaye replied.  
  
"Ok, here's how it'll go. Rowen, you and Sage go with Kaye, the rest of us will stay here and watch over the kids until you three get back." Ryo said.   
  
"Sure thing Ryo, then when we get back, we'll try to figure this whole mess out." Rowen replied as they left to the police station.  
  
"I don't get it, why could Sian done to put him in the slammer?" Kento asked in confusion.  
  
"We're as lost as you are, Kento." Cye replied as they walked back to where the kids were whispering to each other. When they got to where the kids were waiting, Ryo looked around at them. He knew that they could tell that something was up.   
  
"Ok, everybody, let's get to work. We're going to need to get as much training time in before the tournament in a few weeks.   
  
So let's get to it." Ryo said as he had to think of a way to get the kids distracted from what just happened. While Kento, Cye and Ryo were concentrating on the lessons that they were teaching the kids, they didn't seem to notice someone else that was in the building, hiding among the shadows.  
  
He was moving silently from place to place, putting some kind of object in a different area of each part that he crossed.   
  
Then in a few short minutes, he was back outside, "I hope that you like the little surprise that I've set for you?" Dante mused with an evil smirk, and then he disappeared.  
  
Across town, "Dante, how was your mission?" Jakobe asked as he had his back to him.  
  
"It was a success of course," Dante replied as he sat down. "Why, did you have any doubts that I wouldn't be able to complete it?"  
  
"No, I didn't doubt you for a second. I know that your good at what you do. That's why I've teamed up with you on this, remember?" Jakobe said as he grabbed for his champagne.  
  
"Of course, that reminds me. How did your part of the plan with Sian go?" Dante asked as he swirled his champagne.  
  
"It went like clock work. Even though, I think that you'll find this bit of information interesting, though." Jakobe replied as he was about to drink.  
  
"Oh, and what's that?" Dante asked as he raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Sian asked why you weren't with us earlier." Jakobe replied after he swallowed.  
  
"And what did you tell him?" Dante asked as he raised his glass.  
  
"I told him that you were on an errand." Jakobe replied.  
  
"How did he like your answer?" Dante asked as he was about to take a drink.  
  
"He didn't seem like he cared too much if he knew where you were or not." Jakobe replied as Dante took a drink and then set his glass down.  
  
"I see, Jakobe, don't you think that it's almost time for you to put in an appearance?" Dante asked as he looked over to him.  
  
"I suppose that it is. When I get back, then we'll discuss the next part of the mission." Jakobe replied as he disappeared.  
  
At the police station...  
  
"What's taking them so long? They're the ones that called me down here, so then why aren't they ready yet?" Kaye asked as she was nervously pacing the floor.  
  
"Take it easy, Kaye, I'm sure that we'll get to see Sian soon." Sage replied. Just as he said that, one of the cops that arrived onto the scene came out and walked over to the anxious three.  
  
"Mrs. Faun?" the cop asked as he approached them.  
  
"Yes, now will you tell us what Sian is doing in lock up?" Kaye asked with a little bit of anger.  
  
"If you three would follow me, then you'll know what's going on," the cop replied as he lead them to the interrogation room.   
  
When they got there, the cop opened the door and let them in. "Just to let you know, we'll be right outside, and also we'll be able to hear everything that is said in there." the cop said as he let them in.  
  
"Sian!" Kaye said as she rushed over to him.  
  
"'Mom,' uncle Sage, uncle Rowen, what are you doing down here?" Sian asked as he got out of Kaye's embrace.  
  
"What do you mean what are we doing down here? I've gotten a call, and the next thing I know we're coming down here to bail you out of the slammer?" Kaye asked sternly.  
  
"Kaye, take it easy. Let's hear him out first, ok." Rowen replied as he was trying to calm her down. Kaye nodded her head, and while all of this was going on, Sage noticed that Sian had a major bump on the back of his head.  
  
"Sian, how did you get that?" Sage asked curiously.  
  
"I'm not sure, one minute I'm in the store getting supplies, and the next thing I know I'm getting carted away." Sian replied as he rubbed the back of his head.  
  
"Rowen, you have that look, so spill." Sage said as he caught Rowen's look of curiosity.  
  
"I was wondering, who's the one that called on Sian in the first place." Rowen mused.  
  
Just then the door to the interrogation room opened, and who would walk in but Jakobe. "You," Kaye said angrily as she glared at him. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Kaye, how good to see you up and around, especially after our brief encounter yesterday." Jakobe replied as he looked straight at her with a cruel smile.  
  
"I would suggest that you leave, you don't have any business being here." Sage said as he and Rowen stood on either side of Kaye.  
  
"Oh but I have every right to be here. You see, Sian here was the one that broke into my store and destroyed everything." Jakobe replied in arrogance.  
  
"Liar! Sian would never do anything like that, and you know it!" Rowen replied angrily as he glared at him.  
  
"Sorry to say, but it's true, he broke into my store and broke everything. But, for some reason I'm feeling generous today." Jakobe replied as he stayed unwavering.  
  
"We're not interested in your so called generosity. So you know what you can do with it." Sage said hotly.  
  
"Why don't you hear me out first before you make any hasty decisions." Jakobe replied as a smirk started to appear.  
  
"Forget it!" Rowen said as he slammed his hands down onto the table.  
  
"Ok then, I know where I'm not wanted, I'll just leave, and Sian here can just stay in lock up," Jakobe replied as he started towards the door. "Good day."  
  
"wait!" Kaye said suddenly.  
  
"Yes?" Jakobe asked as he slowly turned around.  
  
"Kaye, what are you doing?" Sian asked as he looked over to her.  
  
"Sian, please. Ok Jakobe, we'll listen to what you have to say." Kaye replied while trying to keep her composure.  
  
"I thought that you might," Jakobe said as he started back towards them. He gave a quick nod to a cop that was in the room with them, and he left, leaving the five of them alone. "Now, why don't we get down to business?"  
  
"Hey, wait a minute, why did that cop leave? He's suppose to stay in here, isn't he?" Sian asked as he glared over at Jakobe.  
  
"Sian, don't waste your breath, I think that we know why he left. That cop is on his payroll." Rowen replied as he narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Humph, you're a clever one, Mr. Hashiba." Jakobe said as he smirked.  
  
"Stow it! Now, what are you trying to get out of this?" Kaye replied as she was trying to keep her temper in check.  
  
"You don't waste any time, do you? Ok then, I'll tell you what. I'll drop all of the charges against Sian." Jakobe said with a glint of mischief showing in his eyes.  
  
"What!? You mean you're willing to drop the charges, just like that?" Rowen asked skeptically.  
  
"Yes, just like that," Jakobe replied with a nod. "What, you don't trust me?"  
  
"Are you kidding? Trust someone like you? There has to be some kind of catch to this." Sage said.  
  
"I understand that you're going to compete in the martial arts tournament that'll be here in a few weeks. Am I right?" Jakobe asked.  
  
"Yea, what's it to you?" Sian shot back.  
  
"Maybe nothing, but I think that it would be more than fair for Sian to fight for us," Jakobe said with a smirk. "What do you say?"  
  
"What! No way! There's no way that I would fight on your team, I would rather stay in jail." Sian shot back.  
  
"If that's your answer, then I guess I won't drop the charges," Jakobe said as an evil smile started to appear on his face as he looked directly at Kaye. "Maybe you're right, Sian, maybe I should have Kaye fight for my team instead. She seemed to be pretty good when Dante and I encountered her last time. But maybe she'll be better with someone like me and Dante putting in some special training, if you know what I mean?"  
  
In a blink of an eye, Sian shot out of his chair and pinned Jakobe against the wall. "Don't you and your lackey even think about laying a hand on her! You hear me!" Sian said angrily.   
  
"So then, you'll fight for my team?" jakobe asked with a smirk.  
  
"Yea, fine you win, I'll fight for your team." Sian replied in a defeated tone as he backed away from him.  
  
Jakobe rubbed his throat, and smiled. "Good, I thought that you might. Now, I'll make the arrangements about getting you out of here, and then tomorrow you can start your training with me." Jakobe said as he left the room.  
  
"Sian, what could you possibly be thinking?" Sage asked as he glared at him.  
  
"Come on uncle Sage, you know as much as I do what he meant by when he said special training." Sian shot back.  
  
Before anyone could say anything, the cop that was in the room before came back in. "You're free to go." the cop said as he took off the cuffs and showed them out.  
  
Outside, Jakobe watched them drive back to the center. "This is going much better than I thought. They don't even realize what's really going on. When they do finally figure it out, then it'll be too late for them to do anything about it." Jakobe thought as he disappeared. 


	5. ch 5

Delicious Torment   
  
Ch 5  
  
"They're back!" a little boy exclaimed as he spotted Kaye pulling up to the center's parking lot.   
  
"How are we going to tell them?" Sian asked quietly.  
  
"I don't know, I'll figure out something." Kaye replied as she led them inside.  
  
"Mrs. Faun, Mrs. Faun, you've missed all of the fun!" a little girl said excitedly.  
  
"Oh really?" Kaye asked with a small smile.  
  
"Yea, you see, Cye was trying to make snacks, while Kento snuck into the kitchen, and then Cye chased Kento out. It was really funny watching them chase each other," a little boy explained.  
  
"Sorry that we missed it. Hey, I've got an idea, why don't you kids get a movie or something, there's some things that we have to talk about." Rowen replied as he ushered the kids off towards the TV room.   
  
"All right! A break from Ryo's hard training!" a little boy exclaimed excitedly.  
  
"I heard that." Ryo called out to them from Kaye's office.   
  
"Ryo, would you shut the door?" Sage asked as he sat down. Ryo nodded and then shut the door behind him.  
  
"Ok, now would someone fill us in on what's going on around here?" Kento asked. Rowen took a deep breath and began to get the others up to date. While Rowen was explaining, no one could believe what he was saying. But then again, they came upon the conclusion that anything is possible while Jakobe and Dante were involved. When Rowen got to the part of where Jakobe said he wanted Kaye to fight on his team and get "special training" if Sian didn't fight on their team. Needless to say, Kento's eyes flared up like fire in pure anger.  
  
"Wait until I get my hands on him!" Kento growled angrily as Rowen finished his explanation.  
  
"Kento, don't." Kaye said quietly as she leaned into him.   
  
Kento wrapped his arms around her, "guys, this isn't right. We have to do something! There's no way that they can get away with this!" Kento said as he looked around at them.  
  
"I agree with you Kento, but at the moment there's nothing that we can do about it. We're going to have to play this by their rules for now." Cye replied.  
  
"Cye, I'm sorry, but are you out of your mind?" Kento asked in disbelief.  
  
"Kento, Cye's right, we just don't know what their true objective is at this point and time." Sage said sternly.  
  
"So then what are you suggesting, Sage, that we just sit here and wait for their next move?" Kento shot back.  
  
"Kento, Sage isn't suggesting that at all. I think for now that we've better try and figure out their deal later, right now we have a tournament to prepare for." Ryo replied as he stood up.  
  
"Now the hard part, who is going to tell the kids?" Sian asked as he looked around the room.  
  
Kaye slowly began to stand up, "I guess that I will." Kaye said half-heartedly as she started to open the door.  
  
"Kaye, are you sure?" Cye asked.  
  
"It'll be easier on them if the news came from me." Kaye replied as she opened the door and walked out. The guys quickly followed her; the kids looked up and saw that they were finally out of the office.  
  
"It's about time? We were wondering if you guys were going to come out have there or not," a little boy said as they ran up to them.  
  
"Hey, what's wrong?" a little girl asked.   
  
"Kids, something has come up." Kaye began to explain.  
  
"What is it? Come on Mrs. Faun, you can tell us, we can take it." a little girl said as she   
  
looked up to her.  
  
"Sian won't be fighting in the tournament with us." Kaye replied.  
  
"What! Sian, are you hurt?" a little boy asked.  
  
"No, I'm not hurt." Sian replied.  
  
"Then why won't you be able to fight with us in the tournament," a little girl asked. "Are you going to compete?"  
  
"Yes, Sian will be competing in the tournament." Kaye replied as she was now clutching her hands into tight fists.  
  
"Then who is he going to fight with?" a little boy asked.  
  
"He'll be fighting with us." Dante said as he and Jakobe walked into the center.  
  
"NO! You lie! Sian would never fight for you! Tell them, Sian!" a little girl said angrily.  
  
"Yes, Sian, tell us that you're not going to fight for us." Jakobe taunted with an evil grin.  
  
"You bastard! Get out of here! Both of you, before I personally throw you out!" Kento said angrily.  
  
"Mr. Faun, such language, and in front of children no less." Dante replied with a smirk.  
  
"I said, get out!" Kento said as his anger started to climb higher with each passing minute that they were still there.  
  
"We're just about ready to leave. Sian, don't forget, when morning comes, I expect you to be at my gym, or otherwise..."   
  
Jakobe replied just as they were about to leave.  
  
"Don't you worry, I'll be there. Now the two of you leave." Sian said as his eyes went into angry slits.   
  
"We're looking forward to seeing all of you at the tournament." Dante replied as he and Jakobe walked out the door.  
  
"You can count on it, and we'll beat you! You'll see!" a little boy yelled to them as the door finally came to a close.   
  
"Ok, let's call it a day, kids." Ryo said as they turned to face them.  
  
"No! We want to train!" a little girl replied sternly.  
  
"What? Are you sure? Even with everything you've just heard, you still want to train?" Ryo asked in amazement.  
  
"Yea, just because some low life jerk stole Sian from us, doesn't mean that we're just going to lay down and take it." a little boy replied.  
  
"Do all of you feel that way?" Sage asked as they looked over the crowd of kids.  
  
"Yea!" they all replied at the same time.   
  
"Well then, we have a lot of work cut out for us. We had better get started." Rowen said as they started to get back into their groups and ready to train.   
  
"Gotta admire their spirit. They sure have a lot of it." Sian said.  
  
"They sure do," Kaye replied with a small smile, and then her smile faded as she turned to face him. "Sian..."  
  
"I know, 'mom.'" Sian replied as they hugged each other.   
  
"Hey, I could use some help here!" Ryo said as he was getting tackled by a small group of kids.  
  
Sian and Kaye broke apart, and started to laugh. "What do you think? Should we help him?" Kaye asked with a smile.  
  
"I don't know, personally, I think that he deserves being tackled like that." Sian replied with a grin.  
  
"Hey, I heard that, Sian. Get over here!" Ryo said as he started to chase Sian.  
  
"Man uncle Ryo, you're way too slow, I thought that you were faster than that." Sian replied with a laugh as he was running.  
  
"Just wait until I catch you, then you'll be sorry for calling me slow." Ryo warned.  
  
"Yea, right. Come on old man, come and get me." Sian taunted.  
  
"Old man! Oh now you're so going to get it." Ryo replied as he leaped into the air and landed in front of Sian making him skid to a stop and fall on his butt.  
  
"How did you do that?" Sian asked in amazement.  
  
"Sorry, but you're going to have to figure that out for yourself." Ryo replied with a smirk.  
  
"Aw, come on uncle Ryo, you have to tell me, please?" Sian asked as he was getting up from the floor.  
  
"After you called me an old man, forget it." Ryo replied as he crossed his arms.  
  
"If I say that I'm sorry, then will you tell me how you did that?" Sian asked.  
  
"Maybe." Ryo replied as he raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"For real?" Sian asked as he started to smile.  
  
"On second thought, nope." Ryo replied as he walked off. Sian just looked at him in amazement, how could he just bait him like that? Oh man, that so wasn't fair. The others were laughing at Sian's priceless expression.   
  
Then Sian quickly regained his composure, "oh yea, well then maybe I don't want to know how you did it." Sian said in mock hurt.  
  
Ryo stopped and turned around to face Sian, "you really want to know how I did that, don't you?" Ryo asked as he turned around and faced him.  
  
"Maybe, and maybe not." Sian replied.  
  
"Ok, I'll show you how, but you have to promise not to use it against us. Promise." Ryo said.  
  
"Yea, I promise." Sian replied with a grin.  
  
Later that night while everyone was asleep, "are you ready Dante?" Jakobe asked as they both stood outside of the center.  
  
"I've been waiting all day to do this." Dante replied as he pulled out some sort of triggering device out of his pocket.  
  
"Let's light up their night." Jakobe said with an evil smirk. Dante pushed the button on the device, and then... 


	6. ch 6

Delicious Torment  
  
Ch 6  
  
"Everyone out! Get out, run towards the nearest exit! Hurry, go!" Ryo yelled out to the screaming kids. The fire kept on getting more and more intense by the minute.   
  
"Sian, (coughing) Sian, where (coughing) are you?" Kaye yelled out as she was searching for him.  
  
"Kaye, come on (coughing) we have to go! This whole place (coughing) could come down on us any second!" Kento yelled back as he was trying to get her outside.  
  
To back up what Kento was saying, a support beam from just above their heads started to fall. Kento sensed something definitely wrong, looked up and saw the beam coming for them. He then tossed Kaye out of the way, and Kento was pinned underneath it. Kaye slowly looked up; she grabbed her shoulder, wincing because of the pain. "Kento, (coughing) Kento!" Kaye exclaimed as she saw him lying on the ground.   
  
Outside...  
  
"Is everyone counted for?" Ryo asked as he was looking around to see if everyone was all right.  
  
"Cye, what's wrong?" Rowen asked in concern as he noticed that Cye was holding onto his shoulder in pain.  
  
"My shoulder." Cye replied as he winced.  
  
"Did you hurt it on your way out?" Rowen asked.  
  
"No, it just suddenly started hurting," Cye, replied, then his eyes widened in realization of why his shoulder hurts. "Kaye's still in there, and she's hurt!"  
  
"I don't see Kento or Sian either. That must mean that all three of them are still trapped in there." Sage said as they were looking towards the burning building.  
  
"Sage, Rowen, stay here with the kids. Cye, you're coming with me. Let's go." Ryo replied as they ran back into the burning building.  
  
Inside...  
  
"Kaye, (coughing) where are you?" Kento said as he was slowly coming to.  
  
"Kento, (coughing) I'm right (coughing) here. I'm sorry, I've (coughing) should of listened to you." Kaye replied as she crawled over to him.  
  
"Are you (coughing) all right?" Kento asked in concern.  
  
"Besides a sore (coughing) shoulder, I'm ok," Kaye, replied. "What about (coughing) you? Can you move?"  
  
Kento tried to move, but he found out that his legs were pinned underneath. "No, I can't move." Kento replied.  
  
Not too far away...  
  
Cye and Ryo were looking for them. "Kento, Kaye, where (coughing) are you, answer me!" Cye called out.  
  
"Uncle Cye, (coughing) over here!" Sian called back as he was waving his arms in the air so he could see him.  
  
"Ryo." Cye said as he gave a quick nod in Sian's direction. Ryo nodded, and then followed Cye to where Sian was waiting for them.  
  
"Uncle Ryo, are you (coughing) two ok," Sian, asked as he was trying not to inhale too much smoke. "What are (coughing) you two doing (coughing) in here anyway?"  
  
"When we were (coughing) outside, we noticed that you, Kento, and Kaye (coughing) were still in the building." Ryo replied as they stepped back from the falling boards.  
  
"What! You mean that they're (coughing) not outside!?" Sian asked in alarm.   
  
Ryo and Cye shook their heads. "Come on, we have to (coughing) find them before this (coughing) whole place falls on top of us." Ryo said as he led them back onto the search.  
  
A few feet away...  
  
"Kaye, get out (coughing) of here." Kento said as he tried again to get out from underneath the beam.  
  
"No! I'm not (coughing) leaving you! I know that you (coughing) wouldn't leave me! So I'm (coughing) staying!" Kaye replied stubbornly.  
  
"Kaye, (coughing) Kento, where are you?" Sian, Cye, and Ryo called out as their calls echoed each other's.  
  
"Over here!" Kaye yelled out.  
  
"Uncle Ryo, there!" Sian said as he spotted them.  
  
"Let's go, we don't (coughing) have much time!" Cye replied as they hurried over to where Kento and Kaye were.  
  
"'Mom,' 'dad,' are you two (coughing) all right?" Sian asked as they got there.  
  
"Sian, (coughing) take Kaye, and get (coughing) out of here!" Kento said as Ryo and Cye were trying to get the beam off of him.  
  
"I said (coughing) that I'm not leaving you!" Kaye replied.  
  
"GO! Don't worry (coughing) we'll be out (coughing) before you know it." Kento said as he tried to reassure her. Kaye looked into his eyes, and she knew that he was telling her the truth. So she let Sian lead her back outside.  
  
"Kento, do you think (coughing) that you can transform (coughing) into your sub armor?" Ryo asked.   
  
"Yea, I (coughing) think so." Kento replied as he closed his eyes and then concentrated on his transformation. As soon as he transformed, it was easier for them to get the beam off of Kento. Then as soon as it was off, he called back his sub armor. Ryo and Cye got on either side of Kento and hurried their way back outside.  
  
Outside...  
  
"Rowen, I don't like the feel of this, they're taking way too long." Sage said as they were watching for them to come out.  
  
"I know, Sage, but Ryo said to wait here," Rowen replied. "Wha?"  
  
"Rowen?" Sage asked as he looked over to him.  
  
"I think I see someone," Rowen replied in excitement. "I don't believe it! It's Sian, and he has Kaye with him!" Rowen and Sage ran over to where Sian was helping Kaye over to one of the cars.   
  
"Are you two all right? Where are the others?" Sage asked in concern.  
  
"We're ok, they're coming, and they're not too far behind us." Kaye replied as she kept her eyes glued to where she and Sian came out, hoping that the others would show soon.  
  
Inside, not too far off from the exit...  
  
"Come on (coughing) only a few more feet." Ryo said as they were making their way out. Just as they made their next step, another beam started to fall in front of them, almost blocking their escape route.  
  
Outside...  
  
"NO! Cye, Ryo, Kento!" Kaye yelled out as they fell backwards to the ground.   
  
"Sage, come on, we have to dig them out!" Rowen said as he and Sage got up and ran over to the rubble and started to dig.  
  
"Hey! I think that I see something!" Sage yelled as he started to pull on what looked like an arm.  
  
"It's Ryo! Hang on you guys, we're coming," Rowen yelled as he ran over to where Sage was and helped him pull.   
  
"Almost...there! Man, who knew that you three would be so hard to pull out of that pile of junk."  
  
"Hey watch it!" Ryo said as they sat down. Just then an ambulance, a few fire trucks and a few police cars pulled up.  
  
"Hey! Someone get the medics over here, now!" the fire chief said as he directed his men to put out the fire.  
  
"Hurry up, we need a stretcher over here!" the chief medic yelled as he was looking over Kento's legs.  
  
"I don't need a stretcher, I can walk just fine!" Kento said as he grimaced in pain.  
  
"Yea, sure you can, now hold still," the chief medic said, as they got ready to lift Kento into the ambulance. "Ok, nice and easy now, one, two, three!"  
  
"Alright, you know the drill, I can only take one of you. So who's it going to be?" the chief medic asked as he was looking at them.  
  
"Kaye, why don't you go ahead, we'll catch up with you shortly." Cye replied as he looked over to her.  
  
"Thanks, both of you," Kaye said as she hugged both of them before getting inside. "Sian, thank you too."   
  
After Kaye and the chief medic climbed into the ambulance, the chief of police decided to ask them some questions. "Ok, who's going to be the one to tell me what happened here?" the chief asked.  
  
"We're not sure, chief, one minute we were training with the kids, and then the next thing we knew the building caught on fire." Rowen explained. The chief seemed kind of skeptical at first with Rowen's explanation, but then he figured why not, everything else weird happens in this city, so why not this too.  
  
"Ok, I suppose that'll do for now. I would suggest that you go to the hospital and get yourselves checked out. You know, for just in case." the chief said as he was getting ready to leave the scene.  
  
"Yes sir, but what about the kids? We can't leave them here?" Sage asked.  
  
"Call their parents to pick them up, then head to the hospital." the chief replied as he walked away.  
  
"Easy for him to say, he doesn't realize that could take most of the night." Cye said in annoyance.  
  
"Why don't you three go ahead to the hospital, I'm sure that Rowen and I can handle things here." Sage replied.  
  
"You're sure," Sian asked as he saw them nod their heads. "Ok, then we'll see you there soon, right?"  
  
"Yea, we got it. Just go already, I'm sure that Kento and Kaye are wondering what's taking you so long to get there." Rowen replied.  
  
At the hospital...  
  
"Where are they, they should have been here by now?" Kaye asked as she was pacing.  
  
"Kaye, if you don't calm down, then you'll end up putting yourself in a hospital bed." Kento replied as he looked over to her.  
  
"Hmm, I wonder if there wasn't any more beds, that if they would let me share yours?" Kaye asked with a mischievous grin as she walked over to him.  
  
"Not sure, it wouldn't hurt to ask." Kento teased.  
  
"Only you two would find a moment in a crisis situation." Ryo said as he rolled his eyes as they were standing in the doorway.  
  
"What can I say?" Kento asked with a wink and a grin.  
  
"How are you guys feeling?" Kaye asked as she looked at them.  
  
"Besides needing a good long soak in the hot tub, just fine." Ryo replied with a grin.  
  
"Where are Rowen and Sage?" Kento asked as he decided to change the conversation.  
  
"They're calling the parents to pick up their kids." Sian replied.  
  
"What? Are you kidding me? That could take all night." Kaye said in astonishment.  
  
"That's pretty close to what Cye said, before we told them to go to the hospital to get checked out." Sage said as he and Rowen walked into Kento's room.  
  
"Actually it didn't take that long to call the parents. We told them that we'll be in touch when we know what's all going on," Rowen told them. "How are ya feeling Kento?"  
  
"You mean besides being forced to stay in this hospital bed overnight ok, then yea, I'm feeling just fine." Kento replied in a huff.  
  
"Yea, he's fine. Come on you guys, it's been a long night, and I for one am ready to get some sleep." Cye said as he yawned.  
  
"Sounds good to me." Sage replied as he stretched.  
  
"Kaye, are ya coming with us?" Sian asked as they were about to leave.  
  
"I don't think so, Sian, but thanks anyway. I'll just stay here and watch over Kento." Kaye replied as she brought up a chair next to his bed.  
  
"Ok then, we'll see you both in the morning." Ryo said as they walked out of the room, leaving Kento and Kaye alone. A few hours later the hospital was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. A man dressed all in black stalked down the hallway like he was searching for something, or someone. He looked right, and then to the left, and then finally continued his way down the hall. Until finally he came upon the room that he was looking for. The mysterious man quietly opened the door so he wouldn't awaken the person sleeping within. He then sneaked in and shut the door. When he turned around he could see that Kento was asleep in the bed, while Kaye was sleeping in a nearby chair.   
  
The man in black silently stalked over to the table that Kento's kanji ball was laying on. He was about to reach for it, when suddenly, "Hey, who are you? What are you doing here?" Kaye demanded as she stood up from her chair.  
  
"Huh? What? Hey, what's going on around here?" Kento asked as he tried to get out of the bed.  
  
"Damn!" the mystery man said as he bolted out of the room.   
  
"Come back here!" Kaye yelled as she ran out the door after him.   
  
"Kaye, wait!" Kento called out.  
  
"I don't believe this, first Sian, then the fire, and now this! What's really going on around here? Damn, where is he," Kaye thought as she continued to search for him. Just as she was going to pass a window, she saw a quick glint of something shiny. "You're mine!"  
  
Kaye called upon her sub armor and then followed him up to the roof top. "Hey you, yea you turn around so I can see you!"   
  
Kaye yelled over to him. The man dressed in black stopped and turned around to face her. "Wha? You have a sub armor too? How can this be? I was told that there are only nine mystical armors." the mysterious man asked.  
  
"It looks like you've been misinformed. Now, are you going to tell me who you're working for, or am I going to have to force that information from you," Kaye asked as she got ready to fight. "And don't think that I'm not ready for a fight!"  
  
"As much as I would like to see how you would match up to my skills, it's time for me to take my leave. But don't worry, we'll meet again, you can count on that." the mysterious man said as he threw down a smoke screen and vanished without a trace.  
  
"I don't believe this! He's gone," Kaye muttered angrily. "I better hurry and get back to Kento before he comes out and looks for me."  
  
Kaye called back her sub armor and headed back inside. It didn't take her long to get back to Kento's room, where he was waiting anxiously for her. "Hey..." Kaye said as she walked in.  
  
"Don't you hey me. What were you thinking just now? Running after someone like that? You've could of been hurt." Kento replied.  
  
"I was trying to see if he would be able to tell me anything about what's going on around here. Unfortunately, he got away."   
  
Kaye said as she sat back down on Kento's bed. She quickly adverted her gaze from him and looked down to the floor. His angry expression in his eyes began to soften as he saw that Kaye had her eyes closed, while she wrapped her arms around herself.  
  
"Hey, hey everything is going to be ok, you'll see." Kento said as he tries to reassure her.  
  
"You think so?" Kaye asked as she slowly looked up towards him.  
  
"Think so, heck, I know so." Kento replied with a small smile.  
  
"Kento." Kaye said as they laid back and embraced each other.  
  
"That's it, just go to sleep. Then tomorrow we'll start getting some answers." Kento said as he kept her in his embrace and fell asleep.  
  
On a nearby roof top...  
  
"Well, did you get it?" Jakobe asked anxiously.  
  
The mysterious man in black took off his hood and shook his head, "no, I didn't get it!" Sian replied in annoyance.  
  
"What do you mean that you didn't get it? How could you not? It was easy enough, it was laying right out there in the open." Dante asked as he started to get angry.  
  
"There was a complication." Sian replied.  
  
"Complication? What do you mean, by a complication?" Dante asked.  
  
"Kaye was there." Sian replied dryly.  
  
"So? I figured that she would be, that is her husband that's laying in a hospital bed." Jakobe said.  
  
"Yea, but did you figure that she also has a sub armor?" Sian shot back.  
  
"What?! Are you sure?" Dante asked.  
  
"I know what a sub armor looks like." Sian replied.  
  
"Interesting, and here I thought that there were only nine mystical armors." Jakobe mused.  
  
"Yea, well guess again, if she has one, then there has to be more armors out there somewhere." Sian replied.  
  
"Possibility. So what do you say that we move along, and get ready for phase two of our mission." Jakobe said as they were about to leave.  
  
"Hold it! You never said anything about there being a fire at the center! Is that what your lackey was doing when I was in the cooler? Setting up fire devices?" Sian asked angrily.  
  
"First of all, I'm not his lackey, I'm his partner, and secondly, yes that was exactly what I was doing when you were, how should I put this? Oh I know, detained for a while." Dante replied with a cold smile.  
  
"You lied to me, you said that no one at the center would get hurt, you also said that you would leave the center alone!" Sian said angrily as he was just about to deliver a blow to Jakobe.  
  
In a blink of an eye, Jakobe blocked Sian's attack and had him kneeling on the ground. "Don't forget your station, boy!"   
  
Jakobe threatened as he tightened his grip. Sian yelled out in pain, and then Jakobe let go. Sian got up, and glared at the two. "How can I forget? You won't let me," Sian replied coldly. "If you two don't mind, I need to get some sleep. I'll meet back with you tomorrow."   
  
The two watched as Sian disappeared, "it looks like he's starting to chanage sides." Dante said as he stole a glance towards Jakobe.  
  
"Yes, it does looks that way." Jakobe replied.  
  
"We can't have him changing sides on us!" Dante said.  
  
"I know that, Dante, you don't have to tell me." Jakobe replied.  
  
"So then, what are we going to do about it?" Dante asked.  
  
A cruel smile started to form, "don't you worry about that, I always have something in mind." Jakobe replied as they disappeared. 


	7. ch 7

Delicious Torment  
  
Ch 7  
  
"I knew that I should have brought a camera." Cye said with a smirk as they walked into Kento's room, finding that Kento was laying on his back looking down at Kaye who had her head on his chest.  
  
Kento looked up and then looked over by the door seeing that the others were standing in the doorway with smirks on their faces. "Hey guys, how long have you been standing there?" Kento asked as they entered his room.  
  
"Long enough," Sage replied. "Talked to the doctor before we came in here, and he said that you can go home today."  
  
"Good, I want to get out of this hospital as soon as possible. Besides, I want to have a talk with that so called doctor anyway." Kento said with a hint of anger.  
  
The guys gave Kento a weird look from the statement that he just made. Rowen was about to ask what he meant, until a quiet moan stopped him. "Morning sis, sleep well?" Cye asked as Kaye started to slowly open her eyes.  
  
"Huh? Oh, ah, yea I'll just, yea," Kaye said as she blushed while she got out of Kento's bed. "I'll just get us something to eat, ok Kento. Did you guys want anything?"  
  
"Thanks, but we just ate before coming over." Ryo replied as Kaye was about to leave.  
  
"Ok, I'll be right back." Kaye said as she left.   
  
Rowen looked questionably over at Kento, "ok Kento, what did you mean by what you just said about the so called doctor?" Rowen asked curiously. Kento sat up, and then began telling them all about their late night visitor that they had last night.  
  
"What? But that's just crazy! Why would someone not be able to see this guy coming into your room? I mean that it doesn't make any sense. And why or better yet, how would he know about your kanji ball?" Sage asked curiously.  
  
"I don't know, Sage, but he's so going to get an earful from me when I see him." Kento replied angrily as he finished getting ready.  
  
"Not if I get to him first." Cye said as his eyes showed a quick flicker of anger.  
  
In the different part of the hospital...  
  
Kaye was about to go back to Kento's room, until she heard some familiar voices. "Ok, I've done what you've asked me to do. Now pay me my money, and then we'll dissolve this partnership." the doctor said impatiently.  
  
"Partnership?" Kaye wondered as she listened in more.  
  
"Doctor, it's been a pleasure doing business with you," Jakobe replied as he paid him off. "If you don't trust me on the amount, you can count it."  
  
"Jakobe." Kaye realized angrily.  
  
"No, I trust you. Now if you don't mind, I would like you to leave, I have a hospital to run." the doctor said as he walked over to the door. Kaye quickly looked around to see if there was some place that she could hide. She didn't need them to know that she heard them talking just now. Kaye quickly saw that the emergency door was slightly opened, and then took a risk of being seen ran over to it, and quickly got behind the door, keeping it opened enough so she could see without being seen.  
  
"Before I go, doctor, if anyone found out that we were in business with each other, it'll be more than your hospital and your career that you'll have to worry about. If you know what I mean?" Jakobe said as he was about to leave. The doctor nodded his head in understanding, Jakobe smiled and then he finally left the doctor alone.   
  
"I better hurry up and get back, the guys would want to know about this." Kaye thought as she slowly opened the door, looked around to make sure the coast was clear, and then started back to Kento's room.   
  
Just then another familiar voice called out, "Kaye, is that you? I believe that it is." Taki said as Kaye froze in her tracks.  
  
Kaye slowly turned around, "Detective Taki, long time no see," Kaye replied as she gave a small smile. "What have you been up to lately?"  
  
"Oh you know, the usual, busting the bad guys and things like that," Detective Taki replied. "How about you? What's new in your life?"  
  
"You remember Kento, don't you?" Kaye asked as she looked over at him.  
  
"Yea, how could I forget a guy like him? I still remember the sparring match that we had last time," Taki replied as he rubbed his shoulder from the phantom pain. "Why do you ask? Oh, now I remember, you two got married."  
  
"Yea we did." Kaye replied as a smiled came across her face.  
  
"So how is the big guy?" Taki asked. Kaye's smile quickly faded, and then a tear flowed down her cheek. Taki saw Kaye wipe away the tear, and then it hit him, the fire at the center. His superior had gotten the call about the fire, but he couldn't go because something came up.  
  
"Kaye, I'm sorry, I've should of realized it sooner." Taki replied as he laid a comforting hand onto her shoulder.   
  
"It's ok, Taki, Kento's going to be released today. Oh my God, Kento! Ah, listen Taki, it was great seeing you and all, but I have to get back to Kento's room before he and the rest of the guys come out and look for me." Kaye said hurridly.  
  
"Kaye, wait, I'll come with you." Taki replied as he quickly followed her.   
  
Just around the corner, the doctor that just got paid off by Jakobe, stared at the two as they were quickly making their way back. "Dammit, how much of the conversation did she hear," the doctor wondered angrily. "I better inform Jakobe about this."  
  
The doctor grabbed his cell phone from his lab jacket and dialed. "Hello? Yes, I see. She did, well then we are going to need to find out how much she knows. But first I'm going to pay a visit to an old acquaintance." Jakobe said as he hung up his cell phone.   
  
"Jakobe, what's he doing outside of Kento's room?" Kaye asked in alarm.  
  
"Jakobe? You know that sleaze bag?" Taki asked as he stole a glance towards her.  
  
"Yea, but not by choice." Kaye replied as they were almost there.  
  
"Hello Mr. Faun, and how are we feeling this morning?" Jakobe asked as he stepped into the room.  
  
"Jakobe! You have a lot of nerve to be coming in here!" Rowen replied angrily as the guys quickly got onto the defensive.  
  
"Mr. Hashiba, you wound me to the quick. I'm only here to see how much progress Mr. Faun has made since the tragedy that came upon the center last night." Jakobe said with a mock look of concern.  
  
"Guys! Is everybody all right?" Kaye asked as she and Taki rushed in.  
  
"Mrs. Faun, it's always a pleasure to see you." Jakobe replied with a very cold smile that sent chills down her spine.   
  
"Jakobe, I would suggest that you leave these people alone, unless of course you want to go back to prison?" Taki said as he stood in front of her.  
  
"Been there, detective, didn't like it much. As I recall, wasn't it you that put me there the first time?" Jakobe asked as he shifted his gaze from Kaye to Taki.  
  
"Yea, I was, and I'll be more than happy to put you back in there again. I'm sure that the guards are still keeping your same cell all nice and orderly for you, too." Taki replied as he stayed between Kaye and Jakobe.   
  
Just then Jakobe's beeper went off. "Unfortunately, it looks like we have to put an end to our conversation. It's too bad really, I was just starting to enjoy the company." Jakobe said as he slowly walked out of the room, while keeping an eye on Kaye as he left.   
  
"Does he suspect..." Kaye wondered as she frowned.  
  
"Kaye, hey are ya in there?" Rowen asked as he waved his hand in front of her face.  
  
"Huh, sorry Rowen. Did ya say something?" Kaye asked back as she looked up at him.  
  
"Are you ok?" Sage asked.  
  
"Yea, fine. When I was on my back here, I overheard something that you guys will find to be very interesting. But I don't think that this is a good place to talk. I think that we better leave, and the sooner, the better." Kaye replied as she looked around at them.  
  
As they left the hospital, "what are we going to do? When she tells the detective what she overheard..." the doctor said in a nervous tone.  
  
"The detective is the least of our worries, doctor, the others are a more of a threat than him," Jakobe replied as they were watching out the window. "Dante, follow them, find out what they know. Then report back to me. Do you understand?"   
  
"Of course, Jakobe, I understand perfectly. But let's just say, what if they spot me? What shall I do then?" Dante asked.  
  
"Try not to be spotted, but in case that you do, you can decide what to do on your own." Jakobe replied.  
  
"Consider it done." Dante said as he disappeared.  
  
A few blocks away...  
  
"Man, it feels good to be out of that hospital." Kento said as he took a deep breath of fresh air.  
  
"Alright Kaye, now will you tell us what we'll find to be so interesting?" Ryo asked.   
  
"Like I said before, when I was on my way back to Kento's room. I heard a couple of familiar voices. So you know me and my curiosity." Kaye said.  
  
"No, you, curious?" Sage asked sarcastically as he smirked.  
  
Kaye lifted an eyebrow at him, "funny, anyway, as I was saying. I got closer so I could hear what they were talking about. Then when I got close enough, I saw Jakobe and the doctor talking about some kind of payoff." Kaye continued.  
  
"Payoff? Kaye, did you actually see Jakobe had over money to the doctor?" detective Taki asked.  
  
"Yea, I did. Then when they were about done with their conversation, I hid behind the emergency exit so they wouldn't know that I was there." Kaye replied.  
  
"And then I'm guessing that when you saw that the coast was clear, that's when you've decided to go back to Kento's room, and that's when I saw you in the hallway." Taki said as he finished her story. Kaye nodded to show that he was right in his conclusion.  
  
"Then that might explain why he looked at you the way that he did when he left, Kaye." Cye said as he looked over to her.  
  
"I think that you're right, Cye. But there's something else that I think that you all should know." Taki replied.  
  
"Oh yea, and what's that?" Kento asked.  
  
"The fire at the center, before I went to the hospital, I stopped over at the center to see what else I could find." Taki replied.  
  
"And did you find anything?" Ryo asked.  
  
"Yea, I sure did. Take a look at this." Taki replied as he took out something from his pocket and laid it on the table.   
  
"It looks like some kind of blasting cap." Rowen said as he looked it over.  
  
"You're right. it is. Take a closer look, and you'll see something else that you might recognize." Taki replied.  
  
Rowen gave a confused look at Taki, and then started to look closer at the blasting cap. "Hey, it's the same symbol that's on Jakobe's and Dante's jackets." Rowen said as he finally recognized it.  
  
"So then they did set that fire, and this is the proof." Sage replied.  
  
"Yea, but the deal is, it's the only piece of evidence that wasn't totally destroyed in the fire. As long as we have this, then we have a case, but if for some reason something happens to this piece of evidence, then we won't have squat." Taki said as he took it from Rowen and placed it back in his pocket.   
  
"But what about what I overheard in the hospital? Won't that hold up in court?" Kaye asked as she looked over to detective Taki.  
  
"Unfortunately, it'll be your word against his, and besides, it'll be more in likely that he would of paid off the judge, and the jury." Taki replied.  
  
"Oh." Kaye said in a defeated tone as she crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.  
  
"That's not right! Scum like him shouldn't be able to do that!" Kento said in slight anger.  
  
"I know what you're saying, Kento, and I agree with you, but unfortunately sometimes that's how it's played," Taki replied as he got up. "Hey, sorry, but I have to get going. Keep in touch, ok, and I'll let you know what else I find."   
  
At a nearby corner...  
  
"SO Jakobe was right in his suspicions. I better report back to him and see what he wants to do next." Dante thought as he disappeared.  
  
At a different part of town, a few hours later...  
  
"Getting a bit sloppy in your technique there, Sian." Dante said as he walked on in.  
  
"Shut up, unless of course you want to be eating the floor in a few minutes." Sian replied as he wiped the sweat off of his face with a towel.  
  
"As much fun as that would be, Jakobe wants to talk." Dante said as he started to lead the way.  
  
"Fine, go and talk. I'll just stay here." Sian replied.  
  
"No, he wants to talk to both of us...now." Dante said as he looked at him.  
  
"Alright, I'm coming." Sian replied in annoyance as he threw the towel to the ground. As they walked to where Jakobe was waiting for them, the scenery around them started to change, until it looked like the inside of Talpa's throne room.   
  
"About time that you two got here." Jakobe said as he turned around to face them.  
  
"Sorry, but the ki...boy, didn't seem to want to come to our little meeting." Dante replied as he caught Sian's warning glare from almost calling him a kid.  
  
"Sian, is this true? You didn't want to come?" Jakobe taunted with a smirk.  
  
"Yea, so what about it?" Sian asked in annoyance.  
  
"Enough! What do you have to report?" someone asked from the shadows.  
  
"Warlord Dais, you'll be pleased to know that everything is going as planned." Jakobe replied as he bowed.  
  
"Good, now I have to know. Did you get your hands on the Ronins' kanji balls yet?" Dais asked.  
  
"I'm sorry, my lord, but no we don't have them." Dante replied as he avoided eye contact.  
  
"What! What do you mean that you don't have them?" Dais asked angrily.  
  
"There was a complication in the plan, my lord." Jakobe replied as he slowly stood up and faced him.  
  
"What kind of complication?" Dais asked as he glared at him.  
  
"It seems that when Hardrock was in the hospital, the wearer of the tiger armor was there as well." Dante replied.  
  
"And you let a mere woman stop you from collecting the first of the kanji balls!?" Dais asked in disbelief.  
  
"My lord, it would be of common knowledge that she would be by his side, considering the fact that they are married to each other." Jakobe pointed out.  
  
"Married, you say." Dais mused.  
  
"Yes my lord, that's what I said." Jakobe replied as he looked at him in confusion.  
  
"This could turn out better than I thought." Dais said as a smile crept upon his face.  
  
"My lord?" Dante asked curiously.  
  
"Go! I'll summon you when you are needed," Dais ordered. Jakobe, and Dante bowed and then disappeared, leaving Sian alone with Dais. "Didn't you hear me, boy? I said go."  
  
"I heard you, but I have to know something." Sian asked boldly.  
  
"You have guts, boy. Alright, I'll answer your question." Dais replied with a smirk.  
  
"What are you planning to do? You're not going to hurt them, right? You just want their kanji balls?" Sian asked.  
  
"You'll find out when the time is right, and now is not that time. Go boy, I have to speak with master Talpa." Dais ordered.   
  
Sian nodded his head, and then he finally disappeared as well.  
  
"Master Talpa, I have news." Dais said as he turned around and faced him as he came into the throne room. 


	8. ch 8

Delicious Torment  
  
Ch 8  
  
At the police station...  
  
"Aw come on chief, you can't be serious!" detective Taki said in disbelief.  
  
"Detective, I'm very serious. Either you do as your ordered to do, or you can consider yourself off of this case!" the chief replied as he slammed his hands down on the desk.  
  
"Chief, I'm telling ya, Kaye's not going to do it. She won't go into hiding no matter what.   
  
Trust me, I know her, she'll want to fight this head on!" Taki shot back.  
  
"This is the first major break that we've had in a long time, and I don't want to lose our only witness due to her own stubbornness. And come to think of it, I should take you off the case anyway." the chief replied hotly.  
  
"Care to tell me why?" Taki asked as he crossed his arms.  
  
"Because you're too involved with the people that are tied to this case, that's why," the chief replied as he started to back away from the desk.  
  
"Chief! I can be as objective as the next guy. I'm asking you, to please don't take me off of this case." Taki said as he stared at him.  
  
"Besides, there's another reason why I'm considering taking you off." the chief replied.  
  
"I get ya, you mean because I put Jakobe away the first time. And now you think that I'm going to go vigilante on you, just because of the fact that he's been targeting friends of mine," Taki said. The chief didn't give him a verbal response; he turned around and looked out the window.   
  
Taki knew that his suspicions were right, he then grew angry and took out his badge and gun, and then slammed them onto the chief's desk. "Then consider this my resignation! Because I quit!   
  
I'm not going to just stand by and watch this like some kind of spectator. I'll stop Jakobe in my own way."  
  
Taki then angrily walked out the chief's office, and slammed the door with enough force that the windows shook. "Taki, I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that," the chief said as he picked up his cell phone and placed a call. "Yea, he's leaving now." the chief said as he sadly hung up.  
  
A few blocks away...  
  
"He's coming." Dante said as he hung up his cell phone.  
  
"Good, I think that now is a good enough time to speak with the man. Don't you?" Jakobe asked with a grin. Dante nodded in agreement, because he too wanted to see detective Taki, for his own personal reasons.  
  
At the same time that Taki was leaving the station, Kaye and the Ronins were a few feet away.   
  
"What makes you think that Taki will have anything more to go on," Kento asked skeptically. "I say that we just go and find Jakobe and kick his sorry ass!"  
  
"That's easier said than done, Kento. We don't even know where to start looking, but Taki does."   
  
Cye replied as they kept walking.  
  
"Speaking of Taki, isn't that him over there?" Sage asked as he saw him walking into the deserted park.   
  
"He doesn't look like he's in a very good mood." Cye replied as they were on their way to meet him.  
  
"Hey, Taki, wait up!" Ryo called out to him. Detective Taki stopped and turned around to see his friends running towards him.   
  
"Hey! What are you guys doing here?" Taki asked as they finally caught up with him.  
  
"We came to see if you could tell us any more about the case." Sage replied, as they were all now walking in the park.   
  
Taki looked at them, he knew that they had to be told, "you might want to sit down, before I tell you anything." Taki said as he motioned them to sit.  
  
"You have that look. I hate it when you have that look." Kaye replied.   
  
Taki nodded, and then he began to fill them in. "And that's the whole story." Taki said as he finished.  
  
"You didn't have to give up your job! What were you thinking?" Kaye asked him with a hint of anger.  
  
"I was thinking that my superior was totally wrong about taking me off this case! And that I was right when I told him that I was going to get him myself!" Taki shot back.  
  
Just then, "actually detective, you've should have listened to your boss. Now I'm gonna make you wish that you did." Dante said as he and Jakobe appeared, and made them quickly stand up.  
  
"You know Mrs. Faun, it's not healthy to but into other peoples affairs. Especially when you weren't asked to in the first place." Jakobe said as he pulled a dagger out from behind his back and quickly threw it before anyone knew what had happened.  
  
"Rowen," Kaye yelled as the dagger impaled itself into his stomach. Rowen grabbed onto his stomach and fell to the ground. In a blink of an eye, Kaye was down by his side, with tears suddenly running down her face, she grabbed onto his hand and looked into his eyes. "Rowen...I."  
  
"Shh, Kaye, everything is going to be all right, you'll see." Rowen replied as he squeezed her hand.  
  
"You'll pay for that!" Kento said angrily as he charged at Jakobe.   
  
"Kento, wait! Ah dammit! Sage, get over to Kaye and Rowen, Cye, we have to go and back up Kento." Ryo said as they took off.  
  
"Sage, hurry!" Kaye urged as he finally made it to them.  
  
"Hang in there, Rowen, you'll be good as new real soon," Sage said as he got ready to heal him.   
  
"Kaye, I have everything under control here, go and help the others."  
  
"I've had more than enough of these two. They're going down." Kaye growled as she took off to help them.   
  
"Sage, I don't want to rush you or anything, but in case you've forgotten, I have this dagger kinda embedded into my stomach. And I would like to get it out some time this century." Rowen said as he finally got Sage's attention.  
  
"I'm already on it, Rowen. Now just lay still, this will only take a few minutes." Sage replied as he closed his eyes and concentrated as he pulled out the dagger and then the wound started to close. When Sage was done, he opened his eyes and fell back.  
  
"Sage, are you ok?" Rowen asked as he saw that Sage was breathing kinda heavy.  
  
"Yea, I'm fine, just give me a second," Sage replied as his breathing went back to normal. "How are you? Do you think that you're up to fighting?"  
  
"If you think that a small dagger is going to keep me down, then you have another think coming.   
  
Come on, let's get 'em." Rowen replied as he and Sage joined the others.  
  
"It looks like were out numbered again, Dante," Jakobe said as he saw that they were coming. "To quote an old cliché, run away, run away, live to fight another day."  
  
"Hey, come back here, you cowards!" Kento yelled out to them.  
  
"Rowen, are you feeling better?" Cye asked as they turned around and faced them.  
  
"Yea, feeling much better," Rowen replied. Then he noticed that Kaye had that twinge of guilt look. "Kaye, see, I told ya that everything will be all right."  
  
"Rowen, I'm sorry, I..." Kaye started to say.  
  
"It's not your fault. They're the ones that started this whole thing. So don't start beating   
  
yourself up over this. Besides, the guilt trip deal is more of Ryo's department anyway, and he'll probably feel threatened if someone else took over his job." Rowen replied with a smirk as he tried to reassure her.  
  
"Yea, Kaye, so don't...Hey, wait a minute, Rowen!" Ryo replied as he threw a glare at him.  
  
Kaye gave a small laugh, "Ok, I get the point."   
  
"Good, now we can get back down to business. So Taki, where do we start looking for those two low lives? Taki?" Rowen asked as he gave the ex-detective a confused look.  
  
"How, how could you be standing? You had a dagger thrown into your stomach, and you're acting like nothing happened? Would someone tell me what's going on?" Taki asked in complete confusion.  
  
"It's a long story, and we don't exactly have the time to get into it. Besides, you wouldn't   
  
believe us if we told you." Ryo replied.  
  
"Fine, but don't think that you'll be able to get rid of me that easily." Taki shot back as he   
  
gave a smirk.  
  
In the Dynasty...  
  
"Dais, come forth." Talpa summoned.  
  
"You called, master Talpa?" Dais asked.  
  
"What do you know about this power that I've been sensing?" Talpa asked.  
  
"Power, master Talpa? I haven't sensed any power levels except for the Ronins." Dais replied.  
  
"Dais, I want you to go and find out what this new power is, and then report back to me." Talpa ordered.  
  
"Yes, my lord." Dais replied as he disappeared from the throne room.  
  
Back in Toyama...  
  
"Where have you two been," Sian asked as Jakobe and Dante finally returned. "You said that you would be gone for only an hour or two."  
  
"Aw, did you miss us while we were gone?" Dante teased sarcastically.  
  
"Shut up, you half twit!" Sian replied hotly.  
  
"For your information, we were taking care of some business." Dante said as he crossed his arms. "What kind of business?" Sian asked.  
  
"Since when have you cared about what kind of business that we do anyway?" Dante shot back.  
  
"Ever since you've started to attack the center." Sian replied as he glared at him.  
  
"Why is, oh sorry, wrong tense, why did that place mean so much to you anyway?" Jakobe asked with a smirk.  
  
Sian's memories of that night came back to him. Out of nowhere, Sian found himself laying on the cold wet ground, his clothes torn, soaked with blood. Sian then tried to stand, but he found it difficult because his legs felt like rubber. He grabbed for a nearby fence so he could steady himself. His vision kept on going in and out, not really focusing on anything in particular. He knew that he had to keep moving, because what or whoever was chasing him wasn't too far behind.   
  
After he took a few more steps, he fell right in front of the center. The doors opened up and then a blonde female rushed down to him, calling inside for someone to help her bring him inside.   
  
Then a few hours later, Sian found himself in a bed with fresh clothes and fresh bandages.   
  
Nearby was the same blonde female that helped him inside. She looked over to him and gave him a small smile. "How are you feeling, sweet angel?" the blonde asked.  
  
"Sweet angel? Why did you call me that?" Sian asked.  
  
"Because you look like an angel when you were sleeping. That doesn't bother you, does it?" the blonde asked as she looked at him.  
  
"No, I guess not. Hey, what's your name anyway?" Sian asked curiously.  
  
"My name is Kaye Faun, you can either call me Kaye, or Mrs. Faun. Which ever you feel comfortable with," Kaye replied with a warm smile. "Now, you know my name. It's only fair that you tell me yours."   
  
"My name, is Sian." he replied as he returned a smile of his own.  
  
"Well, you're welcome to stay here as long as you want. Just as long as you follow the rules, then we'll have no problems." Kaye offered, as she was about to leave.  
  
"Sian, do you intend to answer the question this century?" Dante asked as he raised an eyebrow at him.   
  
"Lay off, it's none of your business!" Sian replied as he threw a very hard punch at the punching bag, making it swing high hitting the ceiling.  
  
"Ouch, it looks like I've hit a nerve." Dante said as he grinned.  
  
"SIAN!" Jakobe said with enough force that it made the boy stop in his tracks.  
  
"What?" Sian asked in annoyance as he kept his back to them.  
  
"Don't let your emotions get the better of your judgment. If you do, then you'll jeopardize the mission, and then it'll be all over. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Jakobe asked back.  
  
"Yea, I hear ya, you can stop your preaching already. I just want to be left alone." Sian   
  
replied as he went up to his room.  
  
"So Jakobe, what's the next part of the plan?" Dante asked as he glanced at him.  
  
"Dais will tell us when the time is right. For now, we just keep doing what we've been doing." Jakobe replied.  
  
"Humph, I suppose so. But I still don't see why we have to take orders from a warlord that serves someone like Talpa." Dante said in annoyance.  
  
"Having powerful allies like the warlords, and especially Talpa, is a good thing to have when you're fighting people like the Ronin Warriors." Jakobe replied.  
  
"Why? I mean, we can take care of them ourselves." Dante asked.  
  
"Because, they know how the Ronins think, and besides, they'll be less of a threat now, instead of the future." Jakobe replied.  
  
"I suppose that you're right. But how can we be sure that they won't cross us when the time comes?" Dante asked.  
  
"We can't be sure, that's the whole point. We can only depend upon each other, and no one else." Jakobe replied.  
  
"What about Sian?" Dante asked.  
  
"What about him?" Jakobe asked back.  
  
"Will we be able to depend on him?" Dante asked.  
  
"I guess that time will tell us the answer to that question. In the mean time, what do you say that we have some fun?" Jakobe asked with a twinkle in his eyes. 


	9. ch 9

Delicious Torment  
  
Ch 9  
  
"Thought that I would find you here," someone said from behind.  
  
"Sian," Kaye replied as they hugged each other. "It's good to see you."  
  
"Yea, it's good to see you too, Kaye," Sian said as he stood by her. "So, I guess the question is, why are you here?"  
  
"I'm not quite sure myself, I guess that I just wanted to see the place one last time." Kaye replied quietly as they looked over the burnt ruins of the center.  
  
"What about you? What are you doing here? Won't Jakobe and Dante notice that you're gone?" Kaye asked as she kept her gaze forward.  
  
"I highly doubt that they'll miss me. Besides they can't tell me where I can and can't go, and if they tried to, then I would make them wish that they didn't," Sian replied. Kaye let out a small chuckle, as Sian glanced over at her. "What's so funny?"  
  
"Sorry, you sounded a little like Kento just now when you said that," Kaye said with light amusement. "Actually, you remind me a lot of him, especially with that free spirit that the both of you show, when someone messes with people that you two care about. In some ways, you kinda look like Kento, when he was younger, of course."  
  
"Aw man, I sincerely hope that you're not serious." Sian replied teasingly.  
  
"Hey, don't think that I didn't hear that last part, Sian." Kento said as he and the others met up with them.  
  
"Take it easy, Kento, I don't think that he meant anything by it." Cye replied as he came to Sian's defense.  
  
"Yea, I know, but next time he better watch what he says, or I might not let it slide." Kento teased.  
  
"Let's go." Sian said as he got an idea.  
  
"Go? Go where?" Ryo asked in confusion.  
  
"On my way here, I saw...huh? What's going on?" Sian replied as the wind picked up, and the sky suddenly turned black.  
  
"Ronin Warriors, it's been a long time since we've seen each other." Dais said as he appeared out of nowhere.  
  
"Not long enough, Dais!" Kento yelled back at him.  
  
"Ronin warriors? Dais? Would someone tell me what's going on?" Sian asked in confusion as he got into the defensive.  
  
"Sorry Sian, but now is a really bad time to get into it. Just stay close, and try not to fall for any of his illusions." Rowen replied.  
  
"Sub armor, now!" Ryo called out to them.  
  
"Sub armor? What?" Sian wondered as he watch all of them call forth their sub armors.  
  
"Sian, take cover, we'll handle Dais!" Sage yelled over to him.  
  
"In case you didn't notice, uncle Sage, there's no cover to take. And besides, I'm not going to run from someone that looks like an overgrown spider!" Sian yelled back as he got ready to fight.  
  
"You'll pay for your flippant tongue, boy," Dais said as he got ready to deliver his sure-kill. "Web of deception!"  
  
"Sian, watch out!" Kaye warned as she shoved him out of the way. Sian hit the ground and rolled out of the way. As soon as he was out of harms way, he carefully got back onto his feet, and watched in amazement on how well his "family" was taking on Dais. Sian was just about to join in the fight until three more came out of nowhere.  
  
"Oh this is just great. This is exactly what we needed at the moment." Sage said sarcastically as Anubis, Cale, and Sekhmet took their places next to Dais.  
  
"What are you three doing here?" Dais asked in slight annoyance.  
  
"Master Talpa thought that it would be best for us to come and back you up. And the way that it looks, I would say that master Talpa was right." Sekhmet replied with a smirk.  
  
"I don't need any help from you three. I have the situation under control." Dais shot back.  
  
"Yea, well we'll see." Cale said as he gave a cruel smile.  
  
"Everyone, armor up!" Ryo yelled out as he called forth the armor of Wildfire. The others quickly called upon their armors, and then they got ready to fight.  
  
"Quake with fear!" Anubis yelled out as he jumped into the air and fired his sure-kill at them.   
  
"Scatter!" Rowen warned as they were trying to jump out of the way.  
  
"Yes, scatter like the cowards that you are," Dais said to himself. "Web of deception!" he yelled out as his prongs shot out and snared someone.  
  
"AAAHHH!" Kaye yelled as she was being pulled into Dais.  
  
"Kaye!" Kento yelled as he was trying to get to her.  
  
"Look at what I've caught in my web." Dais said with a laugh.  
  
"Dais let her go!" Cye replied angrily.  
  
"I don't think so, Torrent. As I understand it, Hardrock, this woman is yours. I'll give you credit, you definitely know how to pick 'em." Dais taunted as he pulled Kaye closer to him. Dais then took off his helmet, and then started to kiss the nape of her neck. Kaye closed her eyes and winced as he kept kissing her.  
  
"Dais! I'm warning you!" Kento said in anger.   
  
Dais then stopped, and looked up, "she has such a sweet taste." Dais replied with an evil satisfactory smile as he put his helmet back on.  
  
"Alright, that did it!" Kento said as he charged at him.  
  
"I don't think so, Hardrock. Snake fang strike!" Sekhmet said as he struck out at Kento hitting him and making him fly back into his friends.  
  
"Kento, are you all right?" Rowen asked as they were getting up.  
  
"You mean besides being really ticked off, then yea, Rowen, I'm fine." Kento replied angrily as he kept his eyes on them.  
  
Just then, as Sian watched from the sidelines, he felt something surge through his body. He knew what it was because he felt it before, but at that moment he didn't really care. Dais kept his hold on Kaye, as he took a quick look over at Sian. "Is that the power that master Talpa was telling me? It must be." Dais thought in satisfaction of having completed his mission.  
  
"I believe that it's time to go. But don't you worry, we'll be back." Dais said as they disappeared.  
  
"NO!" Kento yelled angrily as he slammed down his fists onto the hood of a nearby car. Kento slammed the hood of the car so hard, that all four of the wheels shot out, the trunk popped open, and both of the doors flew open as it fell closer to the ground.   
  
"I think that now would be a good time to leave." Ryo said as they were leaving. Cye noticed that Kento wasn't with them. He took a quick look back and saw that he was still in front of the car that he just totally destroyed.   
  
Sian noticed that Cye was going to leave, "uncle Cye, where are you going?" he asked.  
  
"Kento's still back there, I'm going back for him. You stay with the others," Cye replied. Cye noticed Sian's look of uncertainty. "Don't worry, we'll catch up."   
  
"Kaye, hang on, I'm coming." Kento said quietly.  
  
"Kento, what are you doing? Come on, we have to go," Cye said as he tried to get Kento to move. "Kento, didn't you hear me?"  
  
"Yea, Cye, I heard ya." Kento replied quietly.  
  
"Hey, I feel just as bad as you do, she is my sister, remember. But we can't help her, if we're sitting in jail for busting up someone's car." Cye said sternly.   
  
"Come on you two, get a move on!" Sage yelled at them from the corner. With that, Cye and Kento took off leaving the destroyed car in a massive heap.  
  
In the Dynasty...  
  
"Dais, were you successful in your mission?" Talpa asked.  
  
"Yes master Talpa, I've discovered this new power. And I've also brought back a little souvenir of my trip as well." Dais replied as he made Kaye appear before him.  
  
"If you even think of laying a hand on me, Kento and the others will..." Kaye warned as she glared at Talpa angrily.  
  
"Not be able to do a thing about it," Talpa said as he interrupted her. "Dais, the woman is yours, you may do what you wish with her."   
  
"Thank you, master Talpa." Dais replied with an evil grin as he took Kaye and disappeared.  
  
Back in Toyama...  
  
"So now what can we do? Kaye's trapped in the Dynasty, Dais probably doing who knows what to her, while we're here doing noting!" Kento said angrily.  
  
"Kento, I know, but there's no way that we can get to the Dynasty from here." Rowen replied.  
  
"Sorry Rowen, but I won't accept that. I know that there has to be a way over there." Kento shot back.  
  
"This was not part of the mission. How could it have gone so wrong? Did Jakobe and Dante know about this and not tell me? If I tell them that I know a way into the Dynasty, then..." Sian wondered as he was staring off into space.  
  
"Sian, this must be kind of weird to you, seeing mystical armor and people appearing out of nowhere." Cye said as he broke Sian out of his thoughts.  
  
"You could say that," Sian replied. "So what's this Dynasty that you're talking about?" The guys looked around at each other, they knew that they couldn't keep this from him any more.   
  
"Sian, you better get comfortable, this is going to be one heck of a long story." Ryo replied as he started to explain about the Dynasty, Talpa, and the warlords to him.   
  
"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute, you're telling me that there's more than one realm that exists? How could that be possible?" Sian asked in confusion.  
  
"It's possible, Sian, and there's more, but Kento's right, we shouldn't be wasting time talking, we should be looking for a way to get into the Dynasty." Sage replied as they got up and started to leave.  
  
"Sage, there's only one problem." Ryo said as he looked over at him.  
  
"Yea, I know, we have no clue on where to even start looking." Sage replied.  
  
"Maybe, I think that I might know a way." Sian said as he made them stop dead in their tracks. 


	10. ch 10

Delicious Torment  
  
Ch 10  
  
"Sian, we know that you want to help, but saying that you might know to get to the Dynasty..."   
  
Ryo said as he walked over to him.  
  
"It's true, I know how to get there! Why don't you believe me?" Sian asked with a hint of anger.  
  
"It's not that we don't believe you, it's just that you didn't actually know that the Dynasty existed until we told you." Cye explained.  
  
"I think that it would be wise for you to listen to them." a female voice said from behind them.  
  
"Kayura," Rowen replied as she finally joined them. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Somehow Talpa has resurrected Anubis and restored his armor back to him." Kayura explained.  
  
"Yea, well I have news for ya, you're a little too late with that bit of information." Kento said in annoyance.  
  
"Who's the kid?" Kayura asked curiously.  
  
"Hey, watch it lady, I'm not a kid. For your information, my name is Sian." Sian replied in a huff.  
  
"We need to get into the Dynasty, do you think that you can help us?" Sage asked.  
  
"Why do you need to gain access to the Dynasty?" Kayura asked back.  
  
"For some reason, Dais took Kaye back to the Dynasty with him and the other warlords." Ryo replied.  
  
"I see." Kayura said as she went into deep thought.  
  
"Well, are you going to help us out or not?" Sian asked as his anger rose.  
  
"I'll take you to the Dynasty, but that's all that my power will be able to do, but once there, you're on your own." Kayura replied.  
  
"Figures, it's not like we haven't heard that before." Kento said, as he was still annoyed.  
  
"What are we waiting for? Let's go already, were wasting time standing here." Sian replied anxiously.  
  
"We are going, but you are staying here." Ryo said sternly.  
  
"What! No way, come on uncle Ryo, I'm coming with you!" Sian replied.  
  
"Sian, it's too dangerous for someone like you. You're not going and that's the end of it." Sage said as he stared him down.  
  
"What do you mean, when you say, by someone like me? Just because I don't have armor like you and everyone else, then I can't go. You know that I can fight just as well as any of you, or better. Besides, I don't think that it matters if I have armor or not. Kaye has mystical armor, and look where it got her." Sian shot back.  
  
"Sian!" Kento yelled as he stared angrily at him.  
  
"What," Sian asked as he looked straight at Kento. Sian's expression suddenly changed as he saw the different mix of emotions that were showing in Kento's eyes. "Alright, fine, I'll stay here."   
  
"You do understand why you have to stay here, don't you?" Cye asked.  
  
"Yea, I understand." Sian replied in a defeated tone.   
  
"If you're all done bickering, then I would suggest that we get going. We don't have much time." Kayura said as she was starting to get impatient.  
  
"We're ready, alright Sian, make sure that you watch your back while were gone." Ryo said, as they were about to leave. Sian nodded, and then watched as they suddenly disappeared.  
  
Just as Sian was about to leave, a black limo pulled out in front of him. The back window was being rolled down, and then the person in the back motioned Sian to come closer. "What do you want?" Sian asked in annoyance as he got a closer look at who was calling him over.  
  
"Get in, Jakobe wants to talk with you." Dante replied as he moved over so Sian could get in. As soon as Sian got in, the driver took off.  
  
They drove in silence for what seemed like twenty minutes until, "so, how long have you been there?" Sian asked in annoyance as he stared out the window.  
  
"I have no idea what you mean." Dante replied.  
  
"Don't play dumb with me, I know that you were there, I saw you." Sian said as he kept his gaze at the window.  
  
"So what if I was? It doesn't change anything." Dante replied.  
  
"Then you knew what Dais had planned, didn't you?" Sian asked as he shifted his gaze from the window and straight at Dante.  
  
In Talpa's castle...  
  
"Why did you bring me here?" Kaye asked, as Dais was looking her over while circling.  
  
"Are you sure that you want an answer to that question," Dais asked back as a smile came upon his lips that made shivers go up and down Kaye's spine. "All you have to do is use your imagination, and you'll have your answer. For now, count yourself lucky, because I have an appointment to keep, but don't you worry, I'll be back soon enough."  
  
In a different part of the Dynasty...  
  
"Man, I feel like I've been cooked in a microwave, hot on the outside, and cold on the inside." Kento said as they finally made it.  
  
"Stop your complaining, I got us here didn't I, like I said before, now you're on your own." Kayura replied as she started to disappear.  
  
"Hey wait, you didn't tell us how we could get back!" Rowen said as he called out to her.  
  
"Forget it, Rowen, she's gone," Sage replied in annoyance. "So, does anyone have a clue on how we're going to get inside Talpa's castle?"   
  
"Maybe we can be of some assistance," someone said from behind.   
  
"Sekhmet!" Cye replied as they turned around and found themselves facing the three warlords, and a bunch of Dynasty soldiers.  
  
Back in Toyama...  
  
"Jakobe, where are your two associates? They're late." Dais asked as he was starting to get impatient.  
  
"They'll be here soon, ah here they come now." Jakobe replied as Dante and Sian were walking over to them.  
  
"You! Why did you take Kaye to the Dynasty?" Sian asked angrily as he was about to charge at him.  
  
"Calm down, Sian, I'm sure that lord Dais has an explanation for his recent actions. Don't you, my lord?" Jakobe asked as he glanced over at him.  
  
"I have my reasons." Dais replied coldly.  
  
"That's not an answer!" Sian shot back.  
  
"Silence!" Jakobe ordered as he glared at Sian.  
  
"How dare you try to silence me? The only reason that I've agreed to work with you is because you promised me that I could get my revenge!" Sian replied as he glared back.  
  
"And you will my boy. You just have to be patient..." Dante said with a smug look on his face.  
  
"Be patient? How can you sit there with that smug look on your face, and tell me to be patient?   
  
Don't you realize that what he did, made the whole mission go down the drain?!" Sian asked in disbelief.  
  
"Your mission is not, how you say, down the drain. I've only made it easier for you by capturing the woman. All we have to do is wait, they'll come for her sooner or later," Dais replied with a cruel smile, and then he turned around and made a portal appear out of nowhere, and looked back before entering. "Are you coming or not?"  
  
Sian nodded his head, and then followed. As they passed through, the portal closed behind them, leaving no sign that they were even there.  
  
Back with the Ronins…  
  
"Where is he? Dais, you coward, come out and fight me!" Kento yelled as he elbowed a Dynasty solider in the face and got ready for the next one.  
  
"You shouldn't be worried about Dais, you should be more concerned about us instead," Anubis replied as he jumped into the air. "Quake with fear!"  
  
"Kento, watch out!" Ryo warned. But Ryo's warning came too late, because as soon as Anubis's sure-kill made contact, the whole ground beneath their feet shook and broke apart, making the Ronins fly off into different directions. 


	11. ch 11

Delicious Torment  
  
Ch 11  
  
In Talpa's throne room...  
  
"You boy, step forward." Talpa ordered as he gestured over to Sian.   
  
"Why? I don't take orders from you." Sian asked as he glared at him.  
  
"Don't question master Talpa, boy, when he says step forward, you step forward." Dais replied as he shoved Sian towards Talpa.  
  
"Alright, alright I'm going, you don't have to shove, you over grown spider." Sian said as he started to stumble, and then caught himself before he fell.   
  
"You have power that lays dormant inside of you. I know that you have the ability to awaken it. So why haven't you?" Talpa asked as he looked over at Sian.  
  
"Because I don't want to." Sian replied in annoyance.  
  
"Are you afraid?" Talpa asked as he was taunting him.  
  
"Afraid, what for?" Sian asked back.  
  
"Afraid of the power taking over you completely if it's unleashed. Having it control you, instead of you controlling it." Talpa replied.  
  
"First of all, stop calling me boy, I have a name ya know. And secondly, I don't let anything or anyone control me." Sian said hotly.  
  
Talpa started to laugh, "it's been a while since I've seen such spirit in someone so young. You may stay as my guest while you are here. That means you may have access to anywhere that you wish in the castle, except for a few of the more "secluded" areas." Talpa said as he was about to leave.  
  
"Where are these, "secluded" areas? So, then I know where to avoid them if I accidentally stumble into one." Sian asked as he quickly covered himself.  
  
"Dais will fill you in, I have some pressing matters to attend to." Talpa replied as he finally left. Dais knew exactly what Talpa meant by these so called secluded areas. He then smiled in spite of himself, then he told the guards to show Sian to his quarters.  
  
"Lord Dais, what about us?" Jakobe asked in confusion.  
  
"Your services are no longer required, you may go back. But you, Dante, you are still needed here." Dais replied as he got ready to send Jakobe back.  
  
"What! But my lord, I've served you well, have I not? How can you do this to me?" Jakobe asked in anger.  
  
"You have the audacity to question me? Jakobe, you're to count yourself fortunate that I let you live, now go before I change my mind." Dais replied as he made a portal appear in front of him. Jakobe glared at Dais and Dante, Dante just gave a smirk, and then Jakobe walked through the portal. As it closed behind him, he was never to be allowed access to the Dynasty ever again.  
  
"My lord, I do have a question." Dante said as he looked over at Dais in slight confusion.  
  
"Yes?" Dais replied.  
  
"I was wondering, why did you dismiss Jakobe like that?" Dante asked.  
  
"Would you have preferred it to have been you?" Dais asked back.  
  
"Ah no, my lord." Dante replied as he bowed to him.  
  
"Wise choice of words, Dante, now come with me, there's much work to be done." Dais said as he and Dante left the throne room.  
  
In Sian's quarters...  
  
Sian was sitting in front of the window sill, pondering about how things could have gotten to be so messed up. His mission was simple, all he had to do was get their trust, and then when they least expect it, go in and kill the very two people that he believed that caused him to have this "curse," as he would call it. He was tired of always being hunted because of it. He only wanted a normal life, he didn't want to be living everyday either running or fighting. He was tired of it. Then the memories of the times that he spent over at the center started to flow over him. "AAHH, why are you tormenting me so?" Sian yelled out in anguish as he stood up and pounded the wall. Then as Sian finally calmed himself, he turned around and fell back against the wall, and let himself slide down to the floor. Eyes closed as images of his life, were flowing inside of his head.  
  
Flash back~~~~  
  
"Why did you two have to give me this "curse?" Sian asked angrily.  
  
"Sian, how can you say that?" a male asked as he looked at him.  
  
"Oh come on, dad, how can you stand there and tell me that having that," Sian replied as he was pointing to a small sphere in his hand. "isn't a curse? Having that, brought you nothing but pain, and you know it!"  
  
"That's not true, if it wasn't for this, then I wouldn't have met your mother, for one. And another thing, this world would have been a lot worse off than it is now." he replied.  
  
"And what? You like being hunted because of having that? I told you that you should have gotten rid of it a long time ago." Sian shot back.  
  
"Sian! How can you say such a thing?" the female asked angrily.  
  
"No, actually Sian has a right to be angry. He didn't ask to be given this." the male replied.  
  
"Neither did we, but we still accepted it anyway." the female said as she looked at him.  
  
"Mom..." Sian began to say.  
  
"No, Sian, you have to realize that sooner or later that what has been given to you isn't a curse. Even though it feels like it at times. You also have to realize that you now have a responsibility." the female replied as she interrupted him.  
  
"Responsibility, to do what? Protect? Look around, mom, and tell me what's worth to protect any more. Don't you get it? People that continue to have these, "gifts" as you and dad would call them will always be hunted. We'll never be left alone to live in peace!" Sian shot back as he stormed off.  
  
"Sian, where are you going?" the male yelled as the winds suddenly kicked up.  
  
"Away from here!" Sian yelled back as he disappeared over the hill.  
  
"Sian, wait, don't go!" the female yelled to him.  
  
Sian continued to run, until he came upon what looked like a run down lab of some kind. So he entered it before the storm hit. "Hello? Is anyone here?" Sian asked as he walked down the hallway. He kept on walking until he saw a light that was at the end of the hall. Sian then ran towards it as his curiosity got the better of him.   
  
"Damn this curiosity of mine." Sian thought as he finally got to the light. Sian slowly walked into the room, he was in complete awe as he saw that the machine in front of him was still in perfect working condition.  
  
"You like my invention?" a voice asked from above.  
  
"Who are you?" Sian asked as he got into a defensive position.  
  
"My name is Dante, and this, well let's just say that in it's own way, I guess you could say a window of endless possibilities." Dante replied as he jumped down to join Sian.  
  
"What do you mean? A window of endless possibilities?" Sian asked in confusion.  
  
"I mean, that a person could change time and space it self." Dante replied as he walked closer to the machine.  
  
"You mean, that a person could just go and change the past?" Sian asked in disbelief.  
  
"Yes, I guess that's one way of putting it," Dante replied. "What do you say, wanna give it a spin? Is there something that you want to change? Something that you didn't want to happen? Say for instance, inheriting a "curse," perhaps."  
  
Sian took a step back, "how did you know? Wait a minute, you're a hunter, aren't you?" Sian asked as he got ready to fight.  
  
"Yes, I suppose that is what you can call me." Dante replied as he stared Sian down.  
  
"But I thought..." Sian started to say.  
  
"You thought that they finally destroyed all of us? Sorry to disappoint you, but we'll always be around. As long as mystical armors and their wearers exist, then we will too," Dante replied with an evil smirk. "But there might be a way for you to make sure that we won't exist in this world."  
  
"How?" Sian asked as he slowly was getting out of his defensive position.  
  
"Simple, all you have to do is go into my machine, and it'll take you to the past." Dante replied as he walked over to the controls.  
  
"There's something else that you're not telling me, right?" Sian asked.  
  
"You are a very clever boy, yes there is just one more thing that you would have to do. But I'm not sure if you're up to it." Dante replied.  
  
"Oh yea? If it'll get rid of this "curse," then I'll do it." Sian said with a determined look.  
  
"Alright, all you have to do is get into the machine, and it'll take you to the past, where all you have to do is kill your parents, and then the "curse" that you hate so much will be gone from you forever." Dante replied with an evil grin.  
  
"What! You're mad! If I kill them, then I won't exist either!" Sian exclaimed as he looked at Dante angrily.  
  
"Ooh you're a smart boy. Even with them dead, then you won't have to worry about that "curse" any more, right. Or would you rather keep fighting for the rest of your life? The choice is yours." Dante replied coldly.  
  
"I'll do it." Sian said reluctantly as he stepped into the machine.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll be coming to make sure that you'll complete your mission, and if by chance you fail, then I'll take it over and complete it for you," Dante replied as he set the timer. "Are you ready?"  
  
Sian shook his head, and then entered the machine along side Dante. Then a bright light encompassed them, and then in a blink of an eye they were gone. As the light finally dimmed, Sian and Dante found themselves standing in the streets of Toyama. "It worked, it actually worked!" Sian said excitedly.  
  
"Well of course it worked." Dante replied.  
  
"So now what? Where do we go from here?" Sian asked as he looked over at Dante.  
  
"First of all, we need to find someone that knows their way around here. This Toyama may have some similarities to ours, but   
  
we don't know how things are ran around here," Dante replied as he looked around their surroundings. Just then a man seemed to appear out of nowhere. Dante motioned Sian to follow him, the two stayed on his trail until, "you can come out now, we know you're there."   
  
The man slowly came out into the open and faced them. "You're new around these parts, aren't you?" the man asked curiously.  
  
"You could say that." Sian replied as he crossed his arms.  
  
End of flash back~~~  
  
"Am I doing the right thing? Is this really a "curse," who was right? Was it me, or was it them? Oh God! Why won't someone tell me!?" Sian yelled out in anger.  
  
"Sian, if starting to doubt why you came here, you're timing couldn't be worse." Dante replied as he entered Sian's room.  
  
"Dante, huh, what was that?" Sian asked as he heard screams echoing down the hall.  
  
"Oh, you mean the screams? Do you wanna come with me and see?" Dante replied with a smirk. 


	12. ch 12

Delicious Torment  
  
Ch 12  
  
"Who are you, and what have you done to me?" Kaye asked in a weakened tone.  
  
"I'm Badamon, lord of the nether spirits. As to what I've done, I've stripped you of your armor and sub armor." Badamon replied as he held Kaye's kanji ball in front of her.  
  
"How's that possible?" Kaye asked.  
  
"Mystical armor is mystical armor, it doesn't matter where it came from. As long as one knows how to use magic, anything is possible." Badamon replied.   
  
"Why do you want my armor anyway, Talpa can't use it, its not a part of him like the Ronins and Warlords once were?" Kaye asked.  
  
"It's not your armor that were interested in, it's you, and one other, unfortunately he's not   
  
here yet, but I figure that he and your friends will be soon enough." Dante said as he walked over, while Sian stayed back in the shadows.  
  
"Actually, Dante, the Ronins are here. They're just over that hill," Dais replied as he set up his illusion. "Now all we have to do is wait."  
  
Just a few feet from Talpa's castle...  
  
"I can't believe it, the Ronins are making this way too easy." Sekhmet said as he was looking at them lying on the ground as they were starting to coming around.  
  
"Don't be a fool, Sekhmet, that's more in likely what they want you to think." Cale replied   
  
cautiously.  
  
"Cale, why are you and the other warlords back with Talpa?" Sage asked as they were almost fully standing.  
  
"Because, Halo, we cannot ignore our true nature. We are and always will be evil. There's no point in trying to convert us otherwise," Cale replied with a cruel smile. "Besides, causing pain and suffering to others, well that's just much more enjoyable."  
  
"But I think that the one that is getting the most enjoyment out of all of us right now, is I   
  
believe Dais. That lucky dog, actually, I think that I might be a little envious of him," Anubis taunted as he looked straight at Kento. "But I guess that you Ronin runts will have to do."  
  
Kento's eyes lit up like fire in pure anger as he glared over at Anubis, "Oh yea, come on! I'll take ya all on! IRON..." Kento challenged, as he was about ready to strike with his sure-kill.  
  
"Kento, wait!" Rowen said as he realized what they were up to.  
  
"Rowen, why did you stop me?" Kento asked, as he looked over at him in slight confusion.  
  
"Something doesn't feel right, Kento, it's like they want you to attack them." Rowen replied as he looked to a spot that was just past them. Something didn't look right, something was different from the last time that they were in the Dynasty, but for some reason, he couldn't put his finger on it.  
  
Suddenly, a familiar laugh came out of nowhere, "very good, Strata, I see that you're still as sharp as ever." the voice said.  
  
"Dais! Dais, you coward, show yourself!" Kento yelled out angrily.  
  
"You should count yourself fortunate, Hardrock, that your friend stopped you from attacking the other warlords." Dais replied.  
  
"Oh yea, and why's that?" Kento asked angrily.  
  
"Because if he didn't, then you've might have hurt someone that's very close to you." Dais   
  
replied as he made his illusion disappear and revealing Kaye hanging from above just behind the other warlords.  
  
"I almost..." Kento whispered in shock as he looked up to her.   
  
"Ronin Warriors, I see that you're a lot stronger than the last time that we met." Talpa said as he appeared in front of them.  
  
"Talpa, what do you want," Ryo asked angrily as he glared at him. "If it's our armors, then you already know the answer."  
  
"Interesting enough, Wildfire, it's not about wanting what's rightfully mine." Talpa replied with slight amusement.  
  
"Then what is this all about, Talpa?" Cye asked as he glared at him.  
  
"It's about revenge, uncle Cye, nothing but revenge against the two people that have cursed my life." someone said coldly from the shadows.  
  
"Sian?" Sage asked in surprise.  
  
"Surprised to see me, uncle Sage? I told you that I knew a way into the Dynasty." Sian replied as he walked out of the shadows.  
  
"What do you mean by who cursed your life? Sian, you're not making sense." Kento said as he looked at him.  
  
"No, I suppose that I'm not. Well then, maybe I'll show you what I mean, and you'll understand part of my meaning," Sian replied as he closed his eyes and transformed into mystical armor.   
  
Sian's armor was a dark tan in color, with a mixture of another shade of a lighter tan on his arms and legs. He held in his hands a bo-staff that had a blade imbedded onto the top of it. He had another staff strapped to his back, when it's not in use in battle; it acts like an energy shield. "You know what, before I fully explain my story, I think that all of us should be here.   
  
Now, were missing someone, oh, there she is, I'll get her down, this should take only a second."  
  
Before anyone knew what was going on, Sian swung his bo-staff up to where Kaye was hanging, cutting the ropes. Kaye, despite herself, gave a small scream as she found herself quickly falling. Then in a blink of an eye, Sian caught Kaye in mid-air, she slowly opened her eyes and looked over at him. Sian gave a quick smirk and then he threw her in front of them, making Kaye roll to a stop a few inches away from Kento. The same time that Kaye hit the floor, she and Cye yelled out in pain.   
  
"Cye, are you all right?" Sage asked as he rushed over to him.  
  
"Yea Sage, I'll be fine, check on Kaye." Cye replied as Sage quickly knelt down next to her and Kento.  
  
"Kaye, I'm going to need you to hold still so I can heal you, ok." Sage said as he looked towards her. Kaye nodded, and then Sage closed his eyes and began to concentrate.   
  
"Sian, what's gotten into you? Don't you realize what you could have done just now?" Ryo asked in disbelief.  
  
"Nothings gotten into me, uncle Ryo, and yes, I do realize what could of happened, of course I knew about uncle Cye's and Kaye's link to each other. Just like I know about the battles that all of you had with the Dynasty in the past, your armors, your sure-kills, everything." Sian replied with a smirk.  
  
"How, how could you know all of that? None of us told you any of it!" Rowen asked.  
  
"Actually, you did tell me, but that is after I found out that I've inherited this "curse" from them!" Sian replied as he pointed angrily at Kento and Kaye who were now standing.  
  
"Sian, what are you talking about?" Kaye asked.  
  
"I'm from the future, I'm your son," Sian replied hotly. "It's because of the two of you that I have this "curse," so I've came back to the past to get rid of it. But I found out that the only way to get rid of it, is to get kill the both of you!" 


	13. ch 13

Delicious Torment  
  
Ch 13  
  
"Sian, you may claim that you're Kento and Kaye's son, but you don't have the right to blame them for you having an armor! Besides, you have another think coming, if you believe that we're going to allow you to even try and kill them." Ryo said as he and the others got ready to fight.  
  
"I thought that you might say that, but before we fight, I think that someone might want this back." Sian taunted as he held out Kaye's kanji ball in plain view.  
  
"How did you get Kaye's kanji ball?" Cye asked in surprise.  
  
"Actually, that would be my doing. I stripped her of her armor and sub armor, and now she's totally defenseless." Badamon replied with a smirk.  
  
"I'm not totally defenseless, I can still fight even without my armor." Kaye said as she was about to make her move.  
  
Just before she was going to go for her kanji ball, Sian threw it back at her. Kaye caught it, and then she and the Ronins gave him a confused look, but still stayed on their guard. "Just because I want to kill the both of you, doesn't mean that I'm totally heartless, I'm willing to give you a fighting chance. Even though, I'm not sure it'll be much of one anyway," Sian replied as he looked towards her. "Well, are you going to transform?"  
  
"Lord Talpa, are you just going to allow that boy to get away with that?" Badamon asked in shock.  
  
"Calm yourself, Badamon, this could provide to be quite entertaining." Talpa replied as he watched them with interest.  
  
Kaye looked between Sian and her kanji ball, and then she closed her eyes and called forth her armor. When she was fully tranformed, she then opened her eyes and stared directly at him. "Sian, before we start this fight, I have to know. The whole time that you were at the center, didn't any of it mean anything to you, or were you just putting on an act?" Kaye asked.  
  
Sian didn't answer her right away, "Don't listen to her boy, you're the one that wanted this revenge on them. So don't blow it by listening to your heart. You told me that you're hard core, and that nothing can phase you, so don't let her words confuse you. and make you think otherwise." Dante said as he was reminding Sian of what he told him.  
  
"Sian, look deep within yourself, you know that you don't want to do this." Sage said as he and the others stayed alert to everyone in Talpa's throne room.  
  
Sian covered his ears as he was trying to block out the noise, "shut up! Everybody just shut up," Sian replied angrily. "I've made up my mind, I don't want to live with this curse any more. The two of you have to die, and that's all thats to it!"  
  
Before any of them could move, an energy wall shot up from the ground cutting them off from Kento, Kaye, and Sian. "Sorry, but I can't let you interfere with a little family squable, now can I," Dante asked with a smirk. "Besides, I think that you're going to have your hands full with them anyway."   
  
"It's about time that we get to have some fun, I was starting to get bored." Sekhmet said as he and the other warlords got ready to fight the rest of the Ronins.  
  
Back in Toyama...  
  
"Jakobe, I was wondering when you were going to get back." Taki said as he was waiting for him.  
  
"Taki, I should say that I'm surprised to see you, but then I'll be lying." Jakobe replied with a smirk as he slowly turned around and faced him.  
  
"You know that this has been a long time coming." Taki said as he kept a careful eye on him.  
  
"I knew that this would happen sooner or later. so then. what do you say, let's get down to business." Jakobe replied as he stood ready.  
  
"Sounds good to me, but why don't we do this the old fashioned way?" Taki asked as he got into a fighting stance.  
  
"I was hoping that you would say that." Jakobe replied as he too got into a fighting stance.   
  
In Talpa's throne room...  
  
"Everyone, get out of the way, I'm gonna try to break down that energy wall," Ryo said as he got ready to deliver his sure-kill. "Flare up now!"  
  
Ryo's sure-kill hit the energy wall at full force, but as soon as it hit, it evaportated. "Wha, no way! What just happened? It should have worked." Cye asked.   
  
A laugh came from above, "what are you laughing about?" Sage asked as they looked up at Dante.  
  
"How careless of me, I forgot to tell you something about that energy wall." Dante replied with a smirk.  
  
"Yea, and what's that?" Rowen asked in annoyance.  
  
"That whatever attack you throw at it, it'll absorb it and then transfer the attack's power directly to me. Increasing my powers and strength each time." Dante replied with a cruel smile.  
  
"Aw man, he can't be serious." Kento said in disbelief.  
  
"He's very serious, dad, in the future that's how hunters like him weaken his prey, and then when they're weak enough, he goes in for the kill." Sian replied as his eyes narrowed angrily.  
  
"You know all of this talking is getting rather boring, Sian, if you're going to kill them, then do it already." Dante said as he was showing his annoyance.  
  
"Sian..." Kaye started to say.  
  
"Be quiet! I don't want to hear any more from either of you! If I want this curse to end, then I have to do this, there's no other way." Sian shot back.  
  
"That's not true, there's always another way. You just have to know where to look." Kaye replied.  
  
"Dante's right, I'm wasting time talking with you. You're just biding time so that your friends can find their way through that energy wall. I can tell you this right now, you're wasting your breath, because there's no way that they'll be able to get through it in time to help either of you." Sian said angrily as he attacked them both at once, making them separate from each other.  
  
"There has to be a weak spot in that thing somewhere." Sage said as he was defending himself from Cale.  
  
"I know, Sage, but where is it?" Rowen asked as he jumped out of the way from Dais's attack.  
  
"From what I can tell there's only two people that know where that would be, and I have a feeling that neither of them is going to tell us any time soon." Cye replied as he attacked Sekhmet.  
  
"You Ronins, should be concentrating more on our battle, and not how you can help your friends." Anubls said as he dodged from Ryo's attack.  
  
The battle with Kento, Sian, and Kaye kept on getting more and more fierce with each passing minute. They matched each other blow by blow, but every once in a while someone would get in a better shot. Sian decided to finally kick it up a notch, he became faster, making it just a little harder for them to defend against his attacks. Then when Sian launched his next attack, he sent both of them flying across the room, they would of kept flying back, except that the pillars that they went through made them come to a complete stop. The rubble from the top of the pillars was falling and buried them.   
  
"Kento, Kaye, NO!" Ryo called out angrily.  
  
"Warlords, stand down." Talpa ordered.  
  
"But master Talpa?, why?" Sekhmet asked as he looked towards him in confusion.  
  
"Sekhmet, don't question my orders. Just do it." Talpa replied angrily. Sekhmet and the other warlords looked at each other in confusion, and then they decided it was a better idea to not disobey Talpa's orders.  
  
"This doesn't make any sense, why did Talpa order them to stop fighting? He's up to something." Sage wondered.  
  
Just then Cye gasped in alarm, "Cye, what is it?" Rowen asked as he looked over at him.  
  
"Rowen, the link, it's gone." Cye replied as he looked back with worry.  
  
"What! How?" Ryo asked in confusion.  
  
"I don't know, but for some reason, I can't sense her, I can't sense her at all." Cye replied.  
  
"No, they can't be! They have to be alive!" Rowen said as he and the others looked over to the rubble.  
  
Sian stood there, breathing hard from their battle, as he watched for any kind of movement. "Are they dead? No, they're not, because if they were, then I wouldn't be here. So they're still alive." Sian thought as he got back into a fighting position.  
  
"Hey, guys, look over there!" Sage said as he directed their attention to the pile of debris that seemed to be moving. As they watched in anticipation, Kento and Kaye gasped for air as they broke half way through the fallen debris.   
  
"Hey, if I wanted to fly, then I would have paid for airline tickets." Kento said in a half joking matter.   
  
"Get out of there you two!" Rowen called over to them as he saw that Sian was bringing his bo-staff high above his head.  
  
"We can't, we're stuck!" Kaye called back to him as she and Kento were trying get out. In the corner of his eyes, Kento saw that Sian was about ready to deliver his attack. He then pulled Kaye as close into him as he could, so he would be able to shield her. Kento then turned his head so he could glare straight into Sian's eyes. Sian stared right back, there was something in Kento's eyes that made him falter. Sian started to slowly lower his bo-staff to his side, but then he quickly raised it again. Back and forth this went on, it was like Sian was struggling with himself, either that or torturing them.   
  
Dante was starting to get more than a little annoyed with this. He was starting to wonder if Sian even had the stomach to kill his parents. "What's wrong with you, boy, kill them already, do you want to get rid of your curse or not?" Dante asked as he watched Sian struggle.  
  
"I can't, I can't do it, but I have to. I don't want this curse. Why did you two do this to me, why?" Sian asked as he finally threw down his bo-staff to the ground next to his feet. Sian then fell to his knees, feeling in the first time fear for realizing what he almost had done.  
  
Kento turned his head from Sian, with a feeling deep down that Sian wouldn't go through with it. He then slowly let Kaye out of his embrace. She looked over to him in confusion, the look that he had in his eyes gave her a feeling that it was all over. But just then Dante gave a scream of pure agony, and dived for Sian. His eyes were wild with anger, he and Sian rolled by them as they were trying to get out of the rest of the fallen debris. "Why boy, why didn't you kill them? You had the perfect opportunity and you blew it! Why?" Dante asked angrily as they continued to struggle.  
  
"We've shouldn't have came back here! I know that now!" Sian replied as he was trying to hold Dante off.   
  
"I've warned you, boy, if you didn't follow through on the mission, then I would take it over for you! And now, I have no choice but to do what you couldn't do in the first place! Say goodbye to your parents!" Dante yelled angrily as he shot out some kind of energy attack towards them.   
  
Just as Kento and Kaye finally made it out of the debris, the attack hit and sent them through the wall, falling. "Mom! Dad! NO!" Sian yelled as he dived after them. 


	14. ch 14

Delicious Torment  
  
Ch 14  
  
"Kento, Kaye, Sian...NO," Cye yelled in shock, and then his shock turned into anger as he looked over at Dante. "You'll pay for that! Super Wave Smasher!"  
  
The others quickly glanced at each other and then followed suit with their sure-kills. "Fools, don't you realize what you're doing? Wha? I don't believe it, they're, they're breaking through, but how's that possible?" Dante asked in shock.  
  
"Keep it up, we're almost through!" Rowen exclaimed as they turned it up a notch. With that sudden burst, the energy wall broke.  
  
"I think that it's time for me to take my leave." Dante thought as he vanished.  
  
"Dante, come back here!" Ryo yelled out angrily.  
  
"Huh? Ryo, our armor, it's..." Sage started to say as their armors began to resonate.  
  
"Then that means they're still alive." Cye replied with somewhat of a relief.  
  
"Warlords, go out and find them. They couldn't have gone far." Talpa ordered as he disappeared from the throne room.  
  
"Well then Ronins, it looks like it's going to be a race between you, us and Dante to finding your friends. I wonder who'll find them first." Anubis said with a cruel smile as he and the other warlords vanished.  
  
"We have to find them before they do." Cye said.  
  
"Then what are we standing around here for? Let's go." Ryo replied as they ran out of Talpa's castle.  
  
Not too far away...  
  
"Please, please be all right." Sian thought as he pulled them out of the water. Sian watched them anxiously to see if they would give him some sort of sign that they were still alive.   
  
Sian quickly knelt down low to the ground as soon as he heard footsteps approaching. "Check over there, they couldn't have gotten far!" a Dynasty solider ordered. Sian stayed low to the ground, battle ready in case they came their way. Just as Sian was about to attack, they've turned around and headed into a different direction. He watched them go, making sure that they didn't double back.   
  
Then suddenly he heard coughing from behind him. He turned around and saw that Kento and Kaye were both starting to come around. He quickly ran over to them and knelt down. "Hey, you two gave me quite a scare. Are you all right?" Sian asked as he looked over them with concern.   
  
"Been better, Sian, promise me something." Kento replied.  
  
"Yea sure, anything." Sian said.  
  
"Next time that we decide to go and fall out of a building, that we either have a bungee cord or a parachute, ok." Kento replied with a small smirk.  
  
Sian gave a small chuckle, "sure dad, I promise. Hey, can the two of you walk," Sian asked as he got between them to help them up. "Because, we have to get a move on, everyone is out looking for us. We need to find a hiding place so you two can recoup while I go out and search for the others."   
  
"Sian, we don't have any intention to hide, while you're out there searching for the guys. We have to stay together, isn't that right, Kaye," Kento asked as he looked over to her. "Kaye?"  
  
Kaye quickly turned her back on them, and then walked over to a nearby tree. "Mom," Sian replied in concern as he walked over to her and laid his hand onto her shoulder. "What's wrong? Why won't you say anything?"  
  
"What do you want me to say, Sian?" Kaye asked as she kept her back to him.  
  
"I don't know, something, anything," Sian replied. "Please, mom."  
  
"Sian, for once, I don't know what to say." Kaye said as she turned to face him.  
  
"I do." Kento replied as he hurried over to them.  
  
"Oh yea and what's that?" Sian asked as he raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"We've got company!" Kento replied as a group of arrows imbedded themselves close to where they're standing.  
  
In Toyama...  
  
"Why don't you just give yourself up, Jakobe? I'll go easier on you." Taki said as he ducked away from jakobe's last kick.  
  
"Don't insult me, detective." Jakobe replied as he blocked Taki's punches.  
  
"I guess you're right, if you gave up, then where would be the fun in that?" Taki said with a smirk.  
  
"Exactly." Jakobe replied as he noticed that someone he knew was waiting in the shadows. Just then Jakobe jumped up and kicked the desk right into Taki's path and then took off.   
  
"Oh no you don't!" Taki exclaimed as he jumped onto the desk and started to chase Jakobe. But just as Taki was about to jump off of it, something hit him in his shoulder. Taki fell from the desk and landed on his hands and knees. As soon as Jakobe knew that everything was taken care of, he started to walk back towards Taki. Taki was having a hard time keeping his eyes open, he looked up and there was Jakobe standing above him with another person standing with an air gun next to him.   
  
"Sorry about that detective. But I couldn't let you take me back to prison. I knew that you would figure it out that I would come back here sooner or later. So I had the good doctor shoot you with a sedative. Don't worry; you'll be out for a few days. I'm not done with you yet; we still have a score to settle. But first, I have some unsettled business to take care of." Jakobe said as Taki finally fell to the floor unconscious.  
  
Back in the Dynasty...  
  
"Kento? Kento, why don't you answer me?" Ryo asked telepathically.  
  
"Ryo?" Rowen asked as they were still looking.  
  
"Nothing. I don't get it. Why can't I sense him? It's like he's not even in the Dynasty any   
  
more." Ryo replied in a worried tone.  
  
"Then where are they? We know that they're alive." Cye asked.  
  
"Hey guys, over here." Sage replied as he spotted something.  
  
"Whoa, what happened here?" Ryo asked as they were surveying the area. The whole area was covered in broken arrows, pieces of Dynasty soldiers laying everywhere.   
  
"Guys, take a look at this." Rowen replied as he called them over.  
  
"Rowen, that's not what I think it is?" Cye asked as he and the others got a sudden sick to the feeling in their stomachs.  
  
"Yea, I'm afraid that's exactly what it is, Cye." Rowen replied as he stood up. What they saw were a few different areas where small pools of blood have formed.   
  
"No, it can't be, it can't be! I won't believe it! They have to be here, Kento, Kaye, Sian!   
  
Where are you!?" Cye yelled out.  
  
"Yell all you like, Torrent, they won't answer," a voice said from behind them.  
  
"Sekhmet! What have you done? Where are they?" Ryo asked angrily.  
  
"Unfortunately, Wildfire, we didn't do anything. They were taken just before we got here." Anubis replied.  
  
"Who, who took them, where?" Sage asked as he was starting to get angry.  
  
"You Ronins are rather dense, think about it for a second. Who else would have a motive to take them?" Dais replied.  
  
"Dante." Rowen replied as he finally realized it.  
  
"It looks like Strata is the only one of you that actually has a brain." Dais taunted.  
  
"Shut up!" Ryo shot back.  
  
"Such hostility, I guess that you don't know what you want us to tell you what we saw. So we'll be leaving now." Cale said as they turned their backs on them and started to leave.  
  
"Wait! Why will you be so willing to tell us what happened? What's in it for you?" Sage asked.   
  
The warlords stopped and then turned around, "nothing, we just want him to pay for making us look like fools in front of master Talpa." Anubis replied.  
  
"So then, this is about your pride." Ryo said as he glared at him.  
  
"Look, either you let us tell you what we saw, or you can just let your friends die." Sekhmet replied.  
  
"Ok, you win, so now tell us what did you see?" Cye asked anxiously.  
  
"Just as we got here, the battle that your friends were fighting wasn't exactly going well.   
  
Dante some how got the better of them, he was too fast to see how he did it. Then he opened up a portal and took them through it with him." Cale replied as he explained what took place.  
  
"Then that means he could have went back to Toyama. But how can we get back? It's not like a portal is just going to open up in front of us." Sage said in annoyance.  
  
"You were saying," Dais replied with a smirk on his face as he opened up a portal. "Well, are you going through it or not?"  
  
"What do you guys think, should we trust them?" Ryo asked.  
  
"We don't exactly have a choice here, Ryo, we have to." Cye replied as they turned their   
  
attention towards the warlords and the opened portal.  
  
"What's your answer?" Cale asked as he looked at them.  
  
"We're going." Sage replied as they finally went through the portal.  
  
"Dais, do you think that was wise?" Sekhmet asked as the portal closed behind them.  
  
"How about I ask you this, and you tell me if I thought if that was wise? Don't you think that it would be better if Dante took care of the Ronins, instead of us?" Dais asked back.  
  
"Yes, I see, then once Dante takes care of them, then nothing will be in our way for us and master Talpa to take over the world." Sekhmet replied.  
  
"Exactly." Dais said as they disappeared. 


	15. ch 15

Delicious Torment  
  
Ch 15  
  
"Do you realize the risk that you're taking calling me here, doctor?" the police chief asked.  
  
"Of course, I'm not stupid. I just thought that you would like to know that a certain someone is registered here as a patient." the doctor replied.  
  
"What! You don't mean Taki?" the police chief asked.  
  
"Yes, that's exactly who I mean. Taki is under a very heavy sedative at the moment, he should be out for a few days. I can arrange it for you to have a "special visitation," if you know what I mean?" the doctor replied.  
  
"That sounds like a very good idea, I'll be down there soon. Goodbye." the police chief said as he hung up the phone.  
  
"Well, did he buy it?" Taki asked as he was getting ready.  
  
"I think so, he said that he's coming right down." the doctor replied nervously.  
  
"What's the matter? You're not having second thoughts about this now are you?" Taki asked as he slid underneath the covers.  
  
"No, it's just that, are you sure that this will work?" the doctor asked.  
  
"I'm positive. It'll work, just as long as you keep your word to turn state's evidence against Jakobe, then I'll keep my part of the bargain. I never go back on my word, doctor." Taki replied as he closed his eyes. The doctor walked out the door, and then took a few deep breaths. He wasn't sure about this whole thing. He was wondering on how could the ex-detective protect him. He lost his job, so he's no longer registered with the department. Everyone that dealt with Jakobe from before knew that if you cross him, that you'll never wake to see the next sunrise.   
  
"Here goes nothing." the doctor thought as he was paged over the intercom.  
  
The sounds of the clickety clack of the subway wheels running across the tracks as it zoomed through the connecting tunnels, burrowed through the thick concrete floors. Where further down, the only sounds that could be heard were a couple of voices arguing with each other, and water that was slowly dripping into the puddles that were on the floor. "Dante, what were you thinking? Why didn't you back me up while we were in the Dynasty?" Jakobe asked angrily.  
  
"I had to make them believe that I've betrayed you." Dante replied with a smirk.  
  
"You were pretty convincing, you even fooled me." Jakobe said as he raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"You know what your problem is, Jakobe," Dante asked in amusement. "You don't trust people."  
  
"And with good reason, how else do you think that I've survived this long." Jakobe replied with a smirk.  
  
"I see your point." Dante said.  
  
"Dante, tell me something." Jakobe asked curiously.  
  
"Yes?" Dante replied as he opened up a small steel window to look into another room.  
  
"Why did you bring them back here? Why not just get rid of them when you had the chance in the Dynasty?" Jakobe asked.  
  
"I have my reasons, but mainly, why would I want the warlords and someone like Talpa to have all of the fun?" Dante replied with an evil smile.  
  
"Yes, I understand that, but why here? I mean, don't you realize that their friends will come looking for them?" Jakobe asked as he began to pace.  
  
"That's exactly what I want them to do." Dante replied as he made Jakobe stop in his tracks.  
  
"What? Are you out of your mind? Why would you want them to do that?" Jakobe asked.  
  
"Because, it would be easier to deal with the rest of the Ronin Warriors if we had our own trump cards, so to speak." Dante replied as he shut the window.  
  
In the next room...  
  
"Now what the heck happened," Sian thought as he tried to move, "I remember, mom, dad where are they?"  
  
"Your parents are right here, Sian. You still have a chance to make up for you betraying me." Dante replied as he and Jakobe entered.  
  
"Forget it Dante, Sian won't do what you tell him any more." Kento growled as he glared at him.   
  
"Shut up! I don't remember telling you that you could speak!" Dante replied as he took his blade and struck Kento right into his wound, making him yell out in pain.  
  
"Kento," Kaye exclaimed. "Leave him alone!"  
  
"I would suggest that you be quiet, my little song bird, unless of course you want the same?" Jakobe asked as he took his dagger and made a long gash across her back making Kaye scream.  
  
"Sian, you have a decision to make. And by the time that we get back, you've had better make the correct one." Dante said as he and Jakobe left them alone.  
  
Outside, near a subway station...  
  
"It's about time, we were wondering what took ya so long." Dante taunted with a smile.  
  
"Bastard! Where are our friends!?" Ryo demanded angrily.  
  
"Temper, temper Mr. Sanada, if you want to see them again, then I would highly suggest that you put away your weapons." Dante replied.   
  
"Fine, now tell us where they are!" Ryo said as he and the others sheathed their weapons.  
  
"We'll do better than tell you, we'll show you." Jakobe replied with a smile as they turned and started to walk away.  
  
"What do you say, Ryo, do we follow them?" Cye asked as he watched the two from the corner of his eye.  
  
"I don't see any other choice." Ryo replied as he glared at them.  
  
"Well, are you coming?" Jakobe asked as he and Dante noticed that they were still standing there.  
  
"Yea, we're coming." Ryo replied reluctantly as he and the others followed.  
  
Back in the hidden room...  
  
"I can't, no I won't do it! But if I don't, then Dante will kill them. Then what do I do?" Sian thought as he was trying to think of something.  
  
"Sian?" Kaye asked as she noticed that he was struggling with himself.  
  
"Yea?" Sian replied.  
  
"Do you honestly believe that having your armor is a curse?" Kaye asked.  
  
"In the beginning, I believed that it was, but now..." Sian replied as he lowered his eyes.  
  
"But now what, Sian?" Kento asked curiously.  
  
"But now, I'm not entirely sure that it is a curse. A part of me still believes that it is and the two of you are responsible for it. But another part of me believes that maybe it's not. I guess that I've never totally understood what the two of you and my uncles have been telling me when I've received this armor." Sian replied.  
  
"What about now, Sian, do you understand why now?" Kaye asked.  
  
"No, I don't. I don't understand." Sian replied.   
  
"And you never will, so just accept it." Jakobe said as he and Dante entered with the other Ronins.  
  
"Weapons, toss them over the side, now." Dante ordered. "Unless you want them to take a very long plunge."   
  
Underneath where Kento, Kaye, and Sian were hanging from their cages, the floor began to slowly open up, revealing a narrow land bridge, and on either side of it what looked like a whirlpool. "Now, are you going to discard your weapons, or is someone going for a dive?" Jakobe asked as he started to play around with the remote.  
  
"Don't listen to them you guys, kick their sorry asses!" Kento said as he glared at them.  
  
"You wanna see if I'm bluffing, then keep pushing your luck." Jakobe replied as he was about to push a button to drop one of the cages.  
  
At the hospital...  
  
"Which room is the "patient" in?" the chief asked as he and the doctor were walking down the hall.  
  
"He's in here. Did you want me to go in with you, or do you want to go in by yourself?" the doctor asked as he was starting to get a little nervous.  
  
"I'll go in myself. Doctor, is there something wrong? You seen a little nervous for some reason." the chief asked as he was about to open the door.  
  
"No, nothing's wrong. I just don't think that it's right for us to be doing this. I'm a doctor for crying out loud, I'm suppose to be saving lives, not taking them." the doctor replied with a hint of anger.  
  
"If you're not coming in, then I would suggest that you stay here and watch the door. We wouldn't want any unexpected visitors coming in, now would we?" the chief asked as he was about to go into the room. The doctor shook his head, and then the chief walking in. As soon as he was in, he shut the door and then he looked around the room. He smiled when he saw that Taki was what he believed to be "out for the count" as he made his way over to him. On his way over, the chief saw a pillow on a nearby chair, he picked it up and held it with both hands.   
  
"It's too bad, Taki, you would have made a really good cop, but you just couldn't leave well enough alone, could you?" the chief asked as he was starting to get ready to smother Taki with the pillow.   
  
Just as the pillow was barely touching Taki's face, two hands suddenly shot out and grabbed onto the chief's wrists. "I'm disappointed in you, chief, I thought that things would have turned out differently." Taki replied as he was now struggling with the chief.   
  
"What?! You're suppose to be under, why aren't you, what happened?" the chief asked in anger.  
  
"Let's just say that the doctor and I had a long talk, and that his conscious got the better of him." Taki replied as he kicked the chief's side. The chief staggered back some so that Taki could quickly get out of the bed and get into a fighting stance.   
  
"I guess that you leave me with no choice," the chief said as he pulled out his gun and took aim. "It's too bad, I thought that you have so much potential, oh well when I'm finished with you here, I'll go after that back stabbing doctor."   
  
Just as the chief was about to shoot Taki, the door suddenly flew open and the doctor rushed up behind the chief and injected a needle into him. The chief dropped the gun, and then dropped to the floor. "It took ya long enough." Taki said with a smirk as he walked over to him.  
  
"Sorry about that, but I knew that you had everything under control. Besides, I had to call in backup," the doctor replied as a small group of undercover internal affair officers came into the room. "get him out of here. So now what about Jakobe?"  
  
"What about him?" Taki asked.  
  
"Don't you want to go and get him or what?" the IA agent asked back.  
  
"I don't think that we have to worry about him." Taki replied with a smirk.  
  
"Oh, and why's that?" the IA agent asked as he raised an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Let's just say it's a gut feeling that I have." Taki replied with a chuckle.  
  
"If you say so, well then, welcome back to the force, detective." the IA agent said as he handed Taki back his gun and badge. 


	16. ch 16

Delicious Torment  
  
Ch 16  
  
"What is your decision? Are you or are you not going to discard your weapons? Or do you think that sacrificing them will be a better choice?" Jakobe asked as he was beginning to lose his patients.  
  
"Jakobe, I think that they believe you're bluffing. Why don't you go ahead and push the button?"   
  
Dante taunted with an evil smile.  
  
"Say goodbye." Jakobe replied as he pushed the button that was to the cage that Kento was in.   
  
"Kento, no!" Kaye exclaimed as they watched his cage fall and landed onto the land bridge.  
  
"I think that you were a little off target there Jakobe." Dante said with a laugh.  
  
"You know, I think that you're right, maybe the second time I'll have better aim." Jakobe replied as he moved the other two cages.   
  
"Now that you know we're not bluffing, I suggest that you throw your weapons over here, or Jakobe will drop another one." Dante said.  
  
"Alright, we'll do it. Just don't drop them." Ryo replied as he threw his swords at their feet. The others also threw their weapons aside, and then glared angrily at them.  
  
"I thought that you would see it our way." Jakobe said with a grin.  
  
"Ow, that wasn't exactly one of my best landings, then again, I'm not use to falling from high places inside of steel cages either. Well at least I didn't fall into the water. Now how the heck am I suppose to get out of here? Hey, what's this," Kento wondered as he looked over the cage. What he saw was when the cage hit the land bridge, it bended the bars just wide enough for Kento to squeeze through. "When I get up there, they are so going to get it!"  
  
"Dad?, Mom, look," Sian whispered as he directed Kaye's attention over towards the side where he saw Kento climbing up to them. "Dad's ok!"  
  
"Sian, shh, they'll hear you." Kaye whispered back as she tried to quiet him down. Sian nodded showing that he understood.   
  
"You got us, so now what?" Sage asked in annoyance.  
  
"That's an interesting question. Considering that it wasn't you four that I was after in the   
  
first place. But now that we have you, I think that now would be an opportune time to get rid of you annoying Ronins." Dante replied.  
  
"I don't think so." Kento said as he finally pulled himself up from the long climb.  
  
"NO! It's not possible!" Jakobe replied angrily.  
  
"Sian, while they're distracted, squeeze through the bars, and climb down." Kaye said hurriedly to him.  
  
"Mom, what about you? I can't just leave you here?" Sian asked as he looked at her in disbelief.  
  
"Just do it!" Kaye replied. Sian looked over at Kaye; she had that same determined look in her eyes that he knew all too well, telling him that she has made up her mind. He nodded and began to make his way out of his cage.   
  
"What does he think he's doing?" Kento wondered as he caught a glimpse of Sian starting to climb down behind Jakobe and Dante.  
  
Sian noticed that Kento saw him, and gave him a wink. Kento smirked while he kept his eyes on Jakobe and Dante. "What's so funny?" Dante asked as he gave Kento a quizzical look.  
  
"I was just thinking how much fun it's going to be to kick your sorry ass. That's what." Kento replied.  
  
"I highly doubt that you could even put up a fight, considering how wounded you are and that I still have your wife and son." Jakobe said as he waved around the remote.  
  
"Then you don't know my dad." Sian replied as he jumped them from behind, having Jakobe drop the remote and making it slide a few feet away from him.  
  
"You idiot! You've dropped the remote!" Dante yelled angrily at him as he was fighting Kento.  
  
"Hey, how was I supposed to know that the kid was going to jump us?" Jakobe yelled back as he found himself trying to fight off Sian.  
  
"Oh no he didn't. Did I just hear you call me a kid?" Sian asked as his anger started to rise.  
  
"Oh shit." Jakobe thought as his eyes went wide with realization of what he just said.   
  
Sian saw the look in jakobe's eyes, and then he gave a smirk, "I thought so." Sian replied as he pulled back and landed a punch right straight into his stomach, making Jakobe fly back into the wall a few feet next to the remote.  
  
Dante jumped back beside Jakobe and started to look around. "Give it up, Dante, you're surrounded, and there's no place that you can run!" Ryo said as he and the others with their weapons ready, surrounding him and Jakobe.  
  
"Do you Ronins think that you've actually won," Jakobe asked as he was slowly getting up with the remote in his hands. "Or have you forgotten that we still have the upper hand?"  
  
"Mom, Sian replied as he and the others turned around and saw that the cage that Kaye's still in was starting to move. "Hang on!"  
  
"I really hate it when people tell you to hang on, and there's nothing to hang on to." Kaye   
  
thought in annoyance, as she was trying to find a way out.  
  
"Ronins! You have a choice, you can either come or get us, or you can try and save her! What's it going to be?" Dante asked, as he and Jakobe were already half way down to the land bridge.  
  
"They're getting away!" Sian thought angrily as he took off after them.  
  
"Sian, wait!" Kento called out to him.  
  
"Don't worry, Kento, I'm sure that Sian can take care of them. Right now, we have to get Kaye out of there." Cye replied as he pulled Kento along.  
  
"Jakobe, Dante, stop!" Sian yelled to them.  
  
Jakobe and Dante stopped and turned around, they saw that Sian wasn't too far behind, and with every step he was rapidly gaining ground. "Jakobe, I have an idea, but I'm going to need a distraction. Do you think that you can do that?" Dante asked as he searched his cloak for something. Jakobe gave a quick nod, and then he gave Sian a cold grin that could send cold shivers up and down a person's spine.  
  
"Do you think that you can take me boy?" Jakobe asked.  
  
"Without question." Sian replied, as he got ready to fight.  
  
"I'm ready, let's go, push the button!" Dante said as he began to open up a time portal.   
  
"Say goodbye to your mother, boy." Jakobe replied as he pushed the button, releasing the bottom of the cage, having Kaye starting to fall towards the whirlpool.  
  
"Kaye!" Kento called out as he and the others raced over to the edge of the cliff.  
  
"Come on girl, you better think of something, and fast," Kaye thought to herself as she continued to plummet. "This had better work."  
  
Kaye closed her eyes and then she transformed into her armor. She then quickly took her bo-staff and plunged it into the wall. Kaye's staff started to slow her down just enough so she would be able to see that a small group of rocks were protruding out from the cliff. Kaye then swung herself over to that area, and then rolled towards the wall. "Kaye! Kaye, are you all right?   
  
Answer me!" Kento yelled down to her.  
  
"Hey Kento, what were you saying something earlier about a bungee cord and a parachute? Because if you were, I forgot to pack mine." Kaye replied as she was trying to catch her breath.  
  
The guys gave Kento a quizzical look, he just grinned back. They shook their heads because they knew that there was no chance that they were going to find out what she meant by that. "NO! I don't believe this! Alright then, I have no choice," Dante said as he finally opened up the time portal all the way. "Jakobe, we have to go, now!"   
  
"They're getting away!" Sage yelled as the winds began to pick up.  
  
"Well then what are we standing around here for? Let's get 'em!" Rowen replied, as they were getting ready to climb down.  
  
"Use the Inferno! It's the only way!" Sian yelled up to them as he took cover behind some boulders.  
  
Ryo nodded, he knew that Sian was right. The only way to stop them was to call upon the Armor of Inferno. As soon as Ryo called up it, he got ready to deliver his sure-kill. "Rage of Inferno!"   
  
Ryo called out as he directed it towards the time portal. As Ryo's attack hit, everyone shielded their eyes, as blinding light started to fill the room.   
  
Then the light started to slowly dim. The sound of laughter suddenly filled the air. "You fool, don't you realize what you've done?" Dante asked as he continued laughing.  
  
"What! Tell me!" Ryo yelled at them.  
  
"You've opened the gates between the Dynasty and this world, forever," Dante replied. "Now the two realms will become one!"  
  
TBC...? A sequel you say…? Hmmm lol 


End file.
